Haphephobia is Only a Word
by PamaChan
Summary: To Neji everything was always easy to understand. It's only after what can could be described as a life changing experience that the Hyuuga is forced to look at the world through the eyes of hurt and pain. And He refuses to except this as how he has to live his life, to get past this he will have to learn to lean on someone. Warning:Rape, PTSD, Yaoi, LeeNeji, violence/language.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I know I really shouldn't be started another story when I already have so many unfinished! But this idea has been bugging me for a long time now. (P.S. Happy Birthday Luke! Love ya! You been enjoy this, I've been working on it for MONTHS!)**

**The story is mostly finished but I'm having trouble with the ending so I'm going to upload the first few chapters now and finish the ending (hopefully in time for Luke's birthday day.)**

**So I hope you enjoy!**

**Pama has invaded your vital regions!**

#

Neji Hyuuga was never selfish. It was just the way he was. He never wanted to burden people with his problems. But as he sat in the stark white hospital room, he had this shaking over come him. He wanted someone to be there with him, but he'd never say anything.

Neji Hyuuga never cried. He felt tears were unnecessary and refused to let himself produce them. As he sat on the uncomfortable hospital bed he wondered if he did cry would it release some of this pain in his chest?

A soft knock made the Hyuuga wipe his pained expression from his face and put his normal indifferent one on. Tsunade walked in with a sympathetic smile. She held the chart and stood in front of the long haired teen.

"How do you feel?" Her voice was that of a mother worried for her son. She ran her eyes over the Hyuuga's exposed skin. Once pale and white like snow was now shades of purple and yellow from the bruising. The marks all over his neck and shoulders were alarming. He looked as if a rabid dog had thought his neck was a chew toy.

"I'm fine" He responded in his normal mellow tone. He looked at her to continue with what she'd come in there to tell him.

The large breasted woman coughed and cleared her throat as she looked over the chart. "You had some minor internal bleeding in your chest, but nothing that needs extreme attention. But you'll probably be in lot of pain from all the bruises; I'm going to give you two full weeks of vacation. And that means no training; God only knows that Gai would just make it worse."

Neji remained quiet as she finished with her report. She looked at the young Hyuuga. He was of course a Jounin and a very good one at that, but that didn't stop her from remembering he was barely nineteen.

"Are you sure you don't want me to inform somebody?" Tsunade's voice was filled with concern, Neji knew she was just worried but his anger flickered. Neji's pale lavender eyes glared at her vaguely but then he turned his eyes away and looked out the window.

"Hokage-Sama, I'm perfectly fine. You said you would keep this confidential."

Tsunade could see in his eyes that it wasn't anger that fueled him, but humiliation. She knew if anyone found out, the poor young Jounin would never be able to live it down. She sighed and gave in.

"Yes, of course."

Neji placed his hands together and gripped them tightly. He placed his naked forehead on his fists. Tsunade watched as the man's back shook. Neji cleared his throat and muttered quietly.

"Thank you. Could I be alone now?"

Tsunade gave him one final sympathetic look before leaving and locking the door behind her.

#

A pair of feet hit the branch then jumped again. Team Gai moved in sync as they made their way towards the target.

Rock Lee kept goofing off and would flip or twirl in the air every once in a while. The Hyuuga quickly scolded him.

"Lee, act professional. We are on a mission."

The bowl haired teen laughed and jumped over so he was next to Neji. His voice was joyful and energized. "Come on, Neji. We haven't been on a mission as Team Gai in forever. Let me be a little excited."

Tenten giggled behind them at Lee's behavior and Gai sent his students his famous sparkle smile. "That's right, Lee. Let the full power of youth explode!"

Neji closed his eyes in annoyance. This was the main reason he'd wanted to become a Jounin, so he didn't have to deal with all these irritating distractions.

The presence of a large group of people made Neji stop. The rest of the group stopped immediately after he did, they knew better than to second guess the long haired brunette. The group waited as the Hyuuga activated his Byakugan and scanned for the chakra he'd felt.

The group seemed to have noticed them too and hid their chakra from his eyes. He cursed under his breath.

"There seemed to be quite a few. Maybe ten or twelve." The Hyuuga reported to the others, still searching the area, enhancing his chakra in his Byakugan.

"That's rare. Unless we were in a war, a village wouldn't send a whole platoon of shinobi out here." Gai stated as he brought his hand to his chin and studied the area.

"How powerful are they?" Their teacher asked Neji. The other two waited patiently as the Hyuuga's veins grew.

"From the brief moment I could see them I'd have to guess chunin mostly, maybe one or two Jounin." Neji offered but seemed troubled that he couldn't find their chakra again.

"I think we can handle that, right, Lee!" He sent his star pupil a thumbs up, the bowl haired teen grinned and sent one back, replying in a happy tone. "Of course, Gai-Sensei."

"Geez, you two. We should head back and ask for back up. Even if it is mostly chunin, those Jounin would require Neji and Gai-Sensei's full attention. And Lee, I don't think just you and I can take on ten other ninja by ourselves." Tenten interjected with her analyzing skills she was known for. Neji nodded and backed her idea up.

"Tenten is right. Even on a good day the odds are not in our favor." The Hyuuga retracted his Byakugan a bit so he could preserve chakra.

"Very well. Tenten, please prepare a message to send ahead of-" Their teacher was cut off as his eyes grew wide and reacted with inhuman like speed, blocking the punch that'd been thrown at the back of his head. He grabbed his attacker's wrist and twisted it, breaking it as he pinned the cloaked figure down.

#

Tsunade had given him a standard navy blue, shinobi undershirt with a turtle neck to hide his neck. Neji left the hospital sometime around lunch, carrying his bag over his shoulder. His normal unresponsive expression stayed as he walked around Konoha's restaurant district. He still couldn't bring himself to go back to the Hyuuga house hold yet.

He had a feeling the second he stepped into the large court yard his younger cousins would bombard him with their concerns and questions.

The Hyuuga saw his hand begin to twitch and gripped his bag harder. He still wasn't ready for people to begin to pester him about what'd happen for the more than ten hours when he'd gone missing.

The worse had been Lee. Neji and Tenten were most likely the only ones in the entire Leaf village who knew how protective the spandex wearing teen could really be.

The Hyuuga allowed a sad smile to curve his lips as he remembered a mission in particular where Neji had been stabbed by a kunai and Lee had all but punched the enemy to death. If Gai hadn't stopped him he would have continued long past the enemy's death.

But when The Hyuuga was being carried back by their mentor, Neji had only caught a mere glace at Lee and the rage and pure sadness that filled his eyes; it had left its mark on the long haired brunette.

Neji sighed under his breath and his sad smile fall. He reached a small dango and tea shop. After ordering and receiving his green tea and food the Hyuuga let his eyes close and silently ate his meal.

He was in peaceful isolation for a good thirty minutes. Even though it was lunch break most shinobi preferred the ramen shop or went to buy a bento lunch. Not many even stopped outside the tea shop.

The Hyuuga wore a bored expression on the outside but in his head he couldn't help but feel the anxiety. Tsunade had informed him that these kinds of thoughts would be normal for someone in his position. She 'd told him to talk to someone but there was no way he could ever put his stubborn pride aside enough to tell someone what'd happened.

Disgusting.

That word had been ringing in his head. He gripped his tea cup and glared at the liquid that trembled. He felt unclean, like someone was raking their dirty fingers down his skin. But the shame he felt was superior to anything else. He was a Hyuuga. A member of a very proud and powerful family. For him to let what had happened to him was disgraceful.

He calmed himself down before he broke the tea cup and drank the rest of the green tea.

He sat at the table letting his mind wander to other things. His hands were lifted to rub his face every once in a while. The Hyuuga lost track of time, he'd been there for a few hours. He order a few more cups of tea. And soon the day disappeared into the dark night. But Neji still couldn't work up the courage to go home.

"Um, sir?" A young woman in an apron approached the Hyuuga. Before she said anymore he placed some money on the table. He spoke in an uninterested tone as he made his way out of the store. "Thank you for the food."

The long haired brunette walked around Konoha, just focusing on the different things happening around the village.

He reached the shopping district as saw it was full of people rushing in and out of stores. He squinted as the lights hurt his eyes. Making his way down the street he heard someone familiar calling his name. As he turned, his bored exterior clashed with his goofy green loving teammate's.

"Lee?" The man jogged up next to the Hyuuga. Rock Lee seemed happy with the grin constantly painted on his face. "I thought you got out of the hospital tomorrow? Tenten and I were buying you a 'get well' gift."

Sure enough the panda looking girl trotted up behind Lee, smiling and holding a few shopping bags. "As well as some other things."

Neji had known the two since they were in the academy but he had this strange uneasiness come over him as they stood close to him. He wouldn't notice regularly because they were always familiar with each other but now he seemed to be very aware of it and it bothered him.

He took a nonchalant step back and crossed his arms as he usually would. "I was released around noon today."

Rock Lee eyed his bag, he recognized it as the same from their previous mission, and the smudges of mud could still be seen. He asked the Hyuuga in a strange tone. "You haven't been home yet?"

Neji shot Lee a look. He hated how perceptive the two of them were; it irked him that they would always poke at his business.

"I have not." He replied in a tone that threatened Lee to push it any more. Now even Tenten picked up on how uneasy the Hyuuga was.

"Neji, are you alright?" The girl asked. She was clearly worried and it made the long haired male feel bad for snapping at Lee.

"Yes I'm fine, I'm just very tired." Neji moved hand to rub his brow, trying to ease the irritating head ache he was getting. Before anyone could say anything else Lee, with his lightning speed, shot out and grabbed the Hyuuga's hand.

"My goodness, how'd you get these?" Lee asked astonished. The Hyuuga looked down to the friction burns that covered his upper forearm. He felt that fear and panic ripple along his skin.

Lee's hand was just too hot and only reminded Neji of what had happened.

He quickly and forcefully pulled his arm away from his team mate and held it close to his chest. He rubbed his wrist softly as he tried to control his emotions. Neji looked away from the two surprised faces and tried to make his arm stop shaking.

"It's none of you business, now if you would please leave me be." The Hyuuga swiftly turned and left his team mates standing next to each other with hurt expressions on their faces.

#

Soon after Gai had pinned the first attacker, four more popped out. They each targeted the group's member individually.

Neji cursed as he was obviously paired with a long range shinobi. He studied their get up and they didn't seem to wear any type of head bands.

"You're just a group of rouges?" The Hyuuga asked as he began to advance on the enemy, Gentle Fist ready.

The masked man showed no response and sent a large wind style attack loose on the Hyuuga. He quickly used his Rotation and deflected any extreme damage.

After a few minutes of fighting the Hyuuga soon noticed that the attackers were trying to separate them. He'd lost sight of Gai long ago and Tenten and Lee were having trouble fighting multiple enemies at once. Neji scowled and quickly hit his attacker with his Air Palm, sending the enemy backwards. But before he could call out to Lee or Tenten he felt a foreign chakra being forced into his head and knocked him out. His unconscious body fell from the trees and onto the unforgiving ground.

Neji Hyuuga regained conscious in front of a fire pit. He blinked a few times to get his eyes to focus. He'd been gagged and his hands had been tied behind him. He groaned as he tried to use Gentle Fist to cut the rope but it didn't work.

His brow furrowed as he tried to remembered what had happened. He'd been knocked out but why hadn't he been able to sense the other shinobi?

Neji lifted his head with his glare fixed on his face. He tried to cut the rope again releasing chakra from one of his points and it had no affect on the bind. He came to the conclusion they were using chakra resistant materials, which was why they'd disappeared from his Byakugan.

The Hyuuga felt someone roughly grab his hair and pull his head and upper body off the ground. He winced as the pain from his head rang in his ears. Two of the cloaked enemies seemed to be talking to each other; Neji couldn't quite make out what they were saying.

They dropped him mercilessly and he groaned as he was now fully awake. He quickly took in his surroundings. They were somewhere near a river because he could hear running water. The closest river to where they been when attack was a good five kilometers west.

He cursed to himself as he looked around to see if they'd captured anyone else. He couldn't see any of his teammates or sense their chakra. But he did see the pile of dead bodies off to the corner of the small camp. The bodies wore the same gear as the other rouge ninja's did.

"Bring in the Hyuuga!" A booming voice called from one of the larger tents and Neji was quickly forced to his feet.

If they knew he was a Hyuuga they must have been looking for something specific in the region. He was thrown into the tent and compelled to his knees.

He met the eyes of man who covered most of his face except for the bridge on his nose and his bright yellow eyes. The man walked around and lifted the long haired brunette's chin up. Neji eyes held such anger behind them that a normal person would have ran in fear of retribution.

The man pulled Neji's leaf head band off of his face and became very angry.

"I can't use him! He's been sealed; if he dies his eyes are useless to me!" The man grabbed one of his subordinate and threw him from the tent ruthlessly. Neji was surprised the rouge shinobi knew about the branch family's seal.

The man turned back to the Hyuuga and grabbed his face roughly. Starring at him, looking the Jounin once over.

"With those bonds he can't form hand signs. Plus it'd be a waste to kill such a good source of information right way."

The Hyuuga had the ripple of anger and fear rip at his chest. He yanked his chin out of the man's hand; he would've bit the man's finger off if he wasted gagged.

The man gripped his large fingers around Neji's neck and squeezed tightly. The Hyuuga winced at the discomfort but kept his glare strong and hateful. Watching as the man raised his fist and brought it down against the brunette's cheek.

#

Neji ended up going home. It was so late that only a few servants and Hiashi were awake. The younger Hyuuga had merely nodded in acknowledgement and continued down the hallway. He was relieved that the elder Hyuuga hadn't questioned him about being administered to the hospital.

Neji slid open his door and closed it behind him. He sent his bag down next to his bed but didn't lie down yet. Instead he stepped into his bathroom and locked the door. He stared at himself in the mirror as he slowly removed his shirt.

He slowly registered with how beaten up he looked. He had bite marks all over his sides and collar bone. His neck had turned shades of purple and blue to a pale sickly green and yellow. He cringed as he saw the raw red flesh that surrounded his nipples.

He gulped as he removed his head band and bandages. His hair fell out of place and pooled over in his face. He gripped the sink and sunk down to his knees. The shaking returned, he could feel the feather touches of foreign hands, groping him, examining his skin.

It made him sick. Neji glared at the ground as the scenes replayed in his head. He felt like getting revenge.

He brought his fore head to the cool surface of the sink and sighed. He let his anger leave him, being upset would fix nothing. It wouldn't turn back time nor would it make Neji feel any better.

Then he remembered Lee's face when he'd saw the Hyuuga's arm. He'd looked angry, but Neji hadn't stayed long enough to figure out what Lee had really thought.

For the first time in a very long time Neji Hyuuga really, truly felt defeated.

The brunette lied down on the cold bathroom floor, letting the cool tile sooth the dull soreness from his wounds.

#

Neji coughed as his lungs tried to work properly. Another kick caused him to cringe in pain and grind his teeth to keep from calling out. If the brunette wasn't a Jounin he might've passed out by this point. But he knew the most important thing was to at least stay conscious. That was much easier said than done.

One of them grabbed his hair, which had been freed from its tie long ago. He glared through squinted eyes as their leader came over to look at his bruised and bloody face. His sadistic grin made the Hyuuga want to stab a kunai into his throat so much that'd it go all the way through to the other side.

He gripped Neji's swollen cheek and gave it a few forceful pats.

"Come now, you must know where to get a decent pair of Byakugan eyes." His breath was hot and musty on the brunette face. He spit the blood that had collected in his mouth. He smiled triumphantly as he saw it splatter on the man's face.

Neji's grin was soon lost as he cried out in pain, he watched with wide eyes as the leader of the rouge ninjas grab his fore arm and twist it painfully. The man broke the tie holding his hands together and motioned for one of his men to bring him some more.

The Hyuuga saw his chance. He used his feet to push off the ground, ripping his hair from the other ninja's hand as he moved against the leader. He located the correct charka point and released as much as he could in a powerful burst of energy.

#

Neji awoke to the sound of someone knocking on his bedroom door. He let his eyes get used to the dim bathroom light before he pushed himself up into a sitting position. He ran his hand over his face and moved his hair back in place.

The knocking came again.

"Yes?" He called tiredly and he stood up off the tile floor. It certainly hadn't been the best night's sleep of his life but he'd had worse.

"Breakfast is ready, Neji-san." A servant's voice called from outside his door.

He glance at the mirror and raised his brow at the red imprints of the tile that'd formed in his skin. He ran his hand over them and winced.

He decided to leave them be and that'd they disappear soon enough. He washed his face with cold water and returned to his room. He changed, making sure to pick a shirt that covered his neck fairly well as well as his arms.

He stared at the empty dark space for a few minutes not really thinking about anything. He just stood for a few moments enjoy the privacy of his own room.

A knock cut him from his concentration. This one was soft and awkward.

"Come in, Hinata-Sama." Neji smirked a little to himself as he heard her small shriek of embarrassment before she slowly opened the sliding door.

The older Hyuuga's smile dropped as he saw the look of concern written across her face like a burn.

"What can I do for you?" His voice became bland as he anticipated what was going to be asked. He packed his bag for the day as the curvy girl stuttered.

"Father said y-you'd been sent to the hospital when you got back…A-Are you okay?" Hinata's big eyes brimmed with genuine tears. The two had undoubtedly become closer as the years went by, much like siblings rather than cousins. But it was that closeness that bothered the long hair man. He couldn't quite place it but it was like he didn't want that bond, not just with Hinata but with anyone else.

"I was admitted yes. I'm fine now." Neji found himself looking away from her worried, lavender eyes. He finished his packing and casually threw it over his shoulder. As he made his way through the door, Hinata moved aside, hands intertwined in front of her.

She followed him through the compound asking simple questions.

"Was the mission a success?"

"Yes"

"Are the others okay?"

"Yes"

"How'd you get hurt?" Neji stopped walking and Hinata nearly ran into him. She could see the tenseness of his broad shoulders as he looked over them, back at her.

"I'm going to go report to Gai-san; I'll be back later tonight." His voice had an underlining warning in it. Telling her to stop. His eyes were filled with a hint of guilt but that was over shadowed by rage.

"O-Of course…" She lowered her eyes and looked away from his brother figure. She bit her lips slightly as she stopped herself from asking anything further. She'd heard the report given to her father. There was no way Neji would've let himself be sent to the hospital for some broken ribs and some cuts. She knew his pride was too thick.

The younger female Hyuuga watched as Neji walked out into the yard moving towards the gate. She desperately wanted her cousin to trust her.

Neji knew this, he wasn't stupid. It'd been obvious the more time he spent with Hinata the more he'd begin to crack. She was one of the only ones who could break the Brunette's tough armor. But he wasn't ready to let himself fall apart over stupid emotions. He was a shinobi and had a role to play, if he couldn't do that much he wasn't worthy of being a Jounin. Other's depended on him to lead and he'd do just that.

Even if he was to be tormented during every second of it.

#

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	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:OMG Y'all are so nice! Thankies for all the reviews! Please keep um coming! **

**Can I just say that you guys are AMAZING! I mean reading all of your reviews I started blushing~ Thanks so much! I'm glad I waited to do this plot, I've been working on my writing a lot and wanted to make this a story you'll be able to come back to later and enjoy it just as much.**

**More reviews mean I update faster! Love ya!**

**AND CAN I JUST SAY Y'ALL A BUNCH OF PERVERTS XD "Please go into more detail about the mission. " But I'll give my babies what they want XD.**

#

Neji panted as he saw multiple ninja scattered about the floor. He tried to pull his arm free but froze as the grip grew harder. His blank, pupil less eyes starred in disbelief at the leader that brought his cloth covered arm away from his face.

"This is chakra resistant gear, a pure chakra attack like that will have no effect on me." His voice had become angry and wrathful.

The Hyuuga gasped as he pulled his arm back, straining the tendons and muscles. Neji groaned as the man slowly turned it farther. His yellow eyes were glaring fire at the brunette now. The other rouges began to compose themselves.

Neji quickly scanned them with his Byakugan; they hadn't taken any damage to his attack but had simply been knocked over from the force of it. He growled, getting agitated and dropping his cool.

"Will you cooperate now?"

"You have a better chance of getting me to eat dog shit!" Neji voice like venom as he glared at the man from over his shoulder.

"That can be arranged." The Hyuuga tensed as the man stood and held his arm behind his back and the man pressed his chest against the brunette's back.

"You're-" The Hyuuga growled as his head was yanked backwards painfully. He watched as the man moved his covered face over the pale skin Neji neck and bit down through his mask. The brunette hissed at the unnatural pain.

He'd been bitten by many kinds of animals but never had a person bitten him. The man bit down again in a different place, harder.

Neji yelped through closed teeth. He had this panic was over his skin, like a chill. His body was telling him to get out of there. That he needed to separate himself from this man. But even as his brain worked a mile a minute the leader of the rouges paid no mind and continued to assault the Jounin's neck.

Before the Hyuuga could move, a blind fold was forced over his eyes. He began to struggle as he realized it was made from their anti-chakra cloth. His Byakugan became useless and he couldn't control the flow of chakra in his head.

The man pulled away from him and pushed the Hyuuga's feet out from under him. Neji fell to the floor with a painful thud. He arm was thankfully let go, but only to be tied behind his back once more.

#

Neji stood outside his old teacher's small apartment. He couldn't bring himself to knock on the door. Humiliation filled his blood as he remembered what'd happened on the mission. Gai had been the one to find him. Covered in the blood of the enemy, a blood covered kunai in his hand as he made his way through the forest.

Gai had stopped him and the Hyuuga had attacked him thinking he was an enemy. The embarrassment hit the Hyuuga as he remembered his appearance. Once pure white Hyuuga robes were dirt covered and stained with blood. They'd been torn and ripped.

Not only that but he couldn't even bring himself to remember the complete pain that had washed over his teacher's face.

"Neji?" The Hyuuga flinched as he looked up at his strange but skilled teacher. Might Gai stood with his door opened, starring confused at his student standing outside of his house.

"Tsunade told me to report to you after I was released." The brunette stated in his normal calm tone. He looked at his mentor but saw the flash of pain from the forest and turned his head away. His long dark locks covered the twitch in his cheeks.

"Do you want to come in?" Gai's expression wasn't readable at least not in Neji's current panicked condition. His teacher stepped aside and ushered the brunette in.

Neji moved slowly passed his teacher, the usual silly and obnoxious man was quiet and calm. It threw the Hyuuga off slightly and he began to wonder if his teacher was disgusted with him. He felt the shaking come and his breathing became shallow. He wasn't really fond of Gai but he didn't hate the man and he'd known him for a long time.

What if Gai thought he was gross? What if he hated Neji now? He was one of the only people who knew. Neji felt the hollow hole in his chest push against his ribs and lungs.

"Neji!" The Hyuuga jumped at Gai's loud voice. His teacher had moved in front of him into the small apartment. Gai raised a large dark eye brow at the Hyuuga with a strained expression.

"Are you having a panic attack?" Neji blinked and looked down at his trembling hands; he clenched them tightly and gulped before trying to stand up straight.

"No, I'm fine." Gai obviously didn't believe him and walked slowly, watching his old student carefully until Neji sat down on the couch.

"You want something to drink?" The older man kept his eyes on Neji the whole time. The Hyuuga shook his head and Gai could see how shaken up he was.

Gai grabbed a glass of water and sat it down in front of the brunette, before sitting across from the younger man.

"Gai-sensei, I said I didn't want anything." Irritation flared behind lavender eyes. Neji regain some of his composure and glared at his teacher. He was messed up at the moment but he would not be pitied.

"Of course." Gai grinned as he saw his student's usual scowl. The older man remembered just how stubborn the Hyuuga could be when it came to his pride. So this conversation was mostly likely going to be more of a power struggle rather than a friendly catching up between the two.

"Neji, I want to apologize." Neji's glare disappeared for a moment as he looked at his old mentor with questioning eyes. Gai rubbed the back of his neck and intertwined his fingers, gripping his hands tightly.

"I-If only I had been more mature and notice the situation-" Gai was cut off.

"Gai-Sensei, We are both Jounin, I hope you realize this." And there was Neji's pride kicking in. The Hyuuga stood out of his seat, fists clenched. "So then we are on the same level of ability, I am just as much to blame as anyone else. I was the one who wasn't paying enough attention!"

The raising of the Hyuuga's voice caught Gai by surprise. It was only on scarce occasions where Neji would get truly angry. Gai looked up at the long hair man and stated with a serious tone.

"But I am still your teacher and I was responsible for you." Neji and Gai were locked in an intense stare as the older man continued.

"You don't understand how difficult it was for me to not want to kill myself when I found you. I'd thought you were dead but when I found you, it was worse than you being dead."

Neji's eye flickered and his grabbed his hand to stop it from shaking.

"You'd been hurt in a way no one should ever be hurt. Do you understand how guilty I feel?"

Gai's question was in a kinder voice. The Hyuuga had turned his head away so his hair covered his face. The older man stood up and reaching over the table between them and rubbed the long hair man's head.

Neji allowed it for a few moments but soon swatted the hand away, his glare returning, a strange burning sensation running over his forearms.

"You don't need to feel guilty; I should've been strong enough to at least protect myself." Gai could see the whole "soft" act was never going to get through to the Hyuuga, he'd always been hardheaded.

Gai walked over to the Hyuuga who looked at his old teacher.

"Neji, What would you have done if you were in my position and Hinata-Chan was in yours?"

Neji's eyes grew wide as Gai could see the activity and rage fueling behind them. That pure, blind rage that Gai had felt when he'd found Neji. Half crazy, bloody and dirty with mud the Hyuuga had began to attack obviously with the intent to kill but when he realized it was the older man he'd stopped and starred at him with blank eyes.

"I-I think I understand Gai-sensei…" The Hyuuga couldn't help but want to vomit at the thought if what had happened to him had happened to Hinata. He wouldn't be able to live with the shame and guilt.

Gai smiled softly and gave Neji's shoulder a reassuring grip.

The calm and understanding moment quickly turned as bad as Neji's vision flashed to the rouge ninja and he slapped Gai hard across the face, infusing Air Palm and sent his mentor flying across the room. The crash brought Neji back. The Hyuuga saw his old teacher slammed against the wall. He felt the hands still on his shoulders, his arms, and his waist. He gripped his head and sunk to the ground.

Gai had even register what'd happened until felt the pain all along the side of his face and neck. Neji'd dislocated his jaw, not something to be alarmed about. He'd had many things dislocated through the years of training. The thing alarmed his was the pure fear he'd seen the Neji's eyes.

"Did you have a flash back?" Gai said as with a crack, realigned his jaw and rubbed in softly. Neji stayed in his vulnerable form, curled in on himself. His shaken voice barely auditable.

"I a-apologize…I just…" Neji gripping his head harder, he'd just attacked his mentor because he couldn't tell the difference between him and that man. He could hear Gai's footsteps as his teacher came over to him.

"How often have you been having flash backs?" Gai's voice was concern but had urgency in it.

"Since I woke up in the hospital…" Neji released his grip on his head and starred at the ground with shaking eyes. He gulped loudly to try and clear his throat. He utterly hated himself; he couldn't believe he'd just attack Gai or that he lost control so quickly.

"Neji, I think you should go talk with Tsunade…"

#

Neji could only assume the simplest answer that he was going to be killed. He accepted as he felt the leader of the rouges force him to his knees and held something sharp against the back of his neck. His hair on his arms stood on end and the point of the knife was slowly tracing the arch of his neck.

The snickers and chuckling coming from all around him angered the Hyuuga but he'd take his dead with pride and dignity.

Then the knife moved to the front of his neck and Neji held his breath.

The sound of clothes tearing confused him. Neji heard the room become quiet as the man's voice was different than before. Filled with a wanting that annoyed the Hyuuga, like a wolf starring at a rabbit.

"You really are too pretty to be a boy."

Neji glared through his blind fold. As soon as he felt the hand touch his bare chest he kicked the arm with his leg and used his other to move farther away from the unwanted heat.

A dark laughter filled the room and the man order one of his men. "Clear that table."

The Hyuuga's body tense he couldn't believe what was happening; this man certainly wasn't going to rape him! He was a man, certainly if the man wanted a woman he could find one.

"You can't be serious!" Neji spat like venom, even through his blind fold he glared in the man's general direction.

"Oh? And on what grounds do you have to doubt me. Even as we speak I'm imagining what kinds of sounds you'll make, I wonder if you're a screamer?"

The small room filled with laughter, a dark and evil, sadistic laughter. Neji inched away from the man, realizing how crazy the man was. He needed to escape, he'd been fine with dying but he was not going to be tortured and raped by this insane man.

A snap came from somewhere in the room and Neji felt two pairs of arms hooked under his arms. He quickly fought against them and pulled his bound arms away from the others. He stood shaking as he tried to get his hands loose, another round of laughter from the rouge ninja around him.

He tried to place a number, maybe seven or eight. Could he out run eight skilled ninja, without his Byakugan and his arms bound behind him?

#

"Neji! Neji! Focus!" Gai gave his old student a rough shake. The Hyuuga gasped as he gripped his teacher's shirt harder. He slowly game back, recognizing Gai and that he was still inside the older man's apartment.

"I'm s-sorry, that usually only happens when I'm by m-myself…" Neji gulped as he brought a hand to wipe his face, hiding the look on his face. He felt weak and frail; he didn't want anyone to see him like this.

"I'm taking you to Tsunade." Gai stated as he pulled out of the Hyuuga's grip and went to grab his green ninja vest. Neji stopped him and hissed.

"No! I'm just not used to people touching me yet…" Gai looked back at his student with complete sadness masked by guilt.

"Neji…" The Hyuuga looked away from his teacher and asked.

"Please just let me deal with this by myself. I don't need your-" Neji stopped and his voice grow harsher. "I don't want your help."

The older man starred at his stubborn and pride filled student. He stopped and sighed, he couldn't protect them anymore he needed to let them deal with their struggles themselves. Even so, Neji's case was different; he was the type of person that even if he wanted help, he'd never ask for it.

"I'll stay out of on one condition."

The two locked in that intense stare again, neither one giving any room for the other to win.

"You have to talk to at least one person about what happened. Doesn't have to be today or tomorrow but you need to talk to someone about this, Neji."

He went to grip the Hyuuga's shoulders but stopped and simply clenched his fist. The side of his face pulsed with a dull pain.

"This kind of injury in much more than physical, it can destroy a person. Please tell me you'll tell someone. It doesn't matter who."

"Who could I?" Neji's voice was more turned at himself as he looked down at his shaking hands. "This horrid shame I feel would kill me if I ever told anybody."

"That's where you're wrong. There are people who care enough about you that won't even consider looking down on you." Gai leaned down so he was look right at the anger and sad lavender eyes.

"And crying is not a sin."

"I am a Jounin of Konoha, as well as a mature man, as well as a Hyuuga, I don't cry!" Neji's pride flared as he held his head up a little higher. Gai smiled as the old Neji surfaced.

An idea clicked in the older man's head.

"Anyway, just think about what I said, okay?" Gai opened the door for Neji. The Hyuuga suddenly became suspicious; he could see the gears moving behind the older man's head.

"Alright…" Neji grabbed his bag and stepped out of the apartment. He turned back at his teacher but simply rolled his eyes and walked away feeling his since of arrogance returning.

He did think about what his mentor had said. He walked around the still early morning Konoha and spent a good couple of hours visiting several locations.

He found the tea shop he stayed in the day before. After a few minutes of thinking and his stomach growling at him he entered. The lady behind the counter gave him a polite smile as he sat down and asked.

"Green tea? Same as yesterday?" Neji blinked a bit surprised. He lived in Konoha his whole life but never had someone remembered his order.

"Yes, and an order of Udon noodles please." The girl bowed and walked away leaving the Hyuuga in a happier mood.

Maybe today would be better.

He kept his thoughts on things that made his repress a smile. He thought of how Lee always went crazy at training and how Tenten and him would just stand back and let the other two go at it. He remembered Hinata's face when he began sending her friendly smiling instead of hate filled glares.

He grabbed a napkin and ran his fingers over it as he realized how close he'd really grown to lots of people. He lowered his eyes as Gai's voice rang in his head.

Maybe he should talk to someone…But who?

The girl brought his order over and he thanked her. He enjoyed his lunch as he listed people in his head.

The annoying blonde was not even going to be a consideration. Neither were the members of the other teams, he didn't know any of them that well. Hinata might be a possibility. Tenten? Probably not, the girl had about as much compassion as a cactus of Suna.

Neji drank his tea and sighed.

What about Lee?

The Hyuuga starred at his drink and watch the ripples in the liquid. Lee was probably his only definite choice. It was obvious the other male viewed the Hyuuga as a friend, but with something like this what would Lee do? Neji was in no condition to be insulted or shunned. But Lee wasn't one to turn people away.

If Neji really did tell Lee everything, he'd be giving Lee the kind of power over the Hyuuga that scared the long haired brunette.

"Ah! Neji! I thought you'd be in here." Speaking of the Konoha's green devil.

"Lee?" Neji turned to the happy, bowl haired man. Instead of his spandex he was wearing his civilian clothes, a loose green shirt and brown shorts. He made his way over and sat across from Neji, a smile painted on his face like it always was.

"How's your vacation been? I still can't believe I'm supposed to stay still for two whole weeks." Lee laughing happily and looked at the Hyuuga.

Neji waved him off with his normal blank expression. "I guess it's been fine. My legs have been getting a little stiff."

He ate more of his noodles as Lee began to go on about something he'd done yesterday or the day before, Neji didn't care. He just nodded when appropriate and continued to finish his lunch.

"And then Tenten hit me." Lee laughed as pointed to the mostly eaten Udon. "Can I have some?"

"Lee, order your own." The green loving man pouted playfully and whined. "But I just want one, Come one Neji-Chan!"

The Hyuuga cringed at the girly suffix added to his name; he sighed and lifted one of the thick white noodles up to his teammate.

And in from of everybody in the shop, Lee ate the noodle straight from the chopstick and slurped happily as he sent a confused glance at the horrified look on Neji's face. He'd meant for the other man to take the noodle from the chopsticks not eat it off them. The Hyuuga didn't dare look at anyone who was now starring at the two men sitting together, sharing food.

"Lee, learn some manners." Neji hissed as he wiped the chopsticks off with the napkin. Lee just tilted his head and dismissed the subject.

The two sat in silence as Neji finished his lunch and sent glares at anyone who dared to send suspicious stares his way.

Neji finished and gave the girl the money before getting up and leaving the other man behind in the tea shop. Lee hurried after the Hyuuga and walked next to him as the two walked around together.

"So why were you looking for me earlier?" Neji asked as they walked out of the restaurant district and walked along the main road.

"Hn? Oh, well…Gai told me…" Neji froze in his steps, it wasn't a chill but panic that ran threw his veins, his whole body tense up as he stared straight ahead.

Gai had told Lee? Why would he have done that?

"You know about the whole you socking him and all." Lee had still been walking and grinned to where Neji had been but soon realized that the Hyuuga had stopped. He turned back and asked. "Neji?"

That Neji'd hit Gai?

Neji's eyebrow rose as he realized that his was talking about when he'd hit Gai with Air Palm.

Oh, thank god.

"Oh, that." Neji tried to force the shaking and anxiety away. He could see the look in Lee's eyes, they were confused about something.

"Neji? Are you okay?" Lee walked back to the Hyuuga and starred at him. Neji began to realize how close he was and felt that tightening in his throat. He quickly took a small step back. Lee noticed Neji's action.

They'd been friends and rivals since the day they met. And never once had Lee seen the uncertainty in the Hyuuga's face.

Lee frowned a little and took in their situation, he gently grabbed Neji's elbow and pulled the two of them into an alley way away from the busy and loud street.

"Lee?" Neji's voice regained its annoyance as the two made their way down several turns until Lee stopped. He felt his wrist and arms sting and the physical contact made him uneasy.

They were deep in the labyrinth that was the apartment district's alley ways. The only light came from the few dim apartment lights that were on and the small but of sunlight that was still visible. The low rumble of generators and the mild scurry of a rat or two filled the air. The Chunin looked at Neji and he was expecting answers.

"What wrong?" Neji pulled his arm away from Lee angrily. He glared and snapped at the green loving shinobi. The darkened atmosphere seemed to only fuel the tension in the Hyuuga.

"I don't need to explain myself to you! What goes on in my life is my business!" Neji knew he sounded childish getting so upset over something so petty. But the strange anger coming from Lee confused the Hyuuga. It wasn't rage it was more towards aggravation.

"It is my business; you're my friend so I'm making it my business." The usual carefree, youthful Lee became serious as that anger flickered behind black orbs.

"Leave me alone, Lee." Neji turned to return to the main street but the other man grabbed his upper arm and pulled the sleeve down in frustration. The Hyuuga tried to pull away as he realized what was really making Lee mad. The rope burns that were healing away but still felt as fresh as when he'd gotten them. The tanner ninja froze with Neji's arm in his hand. He slowly ran a hand down the delicate, once porcelain skin.

Lee could feel the indents where skin had been ripped from the arm and left ugly red marks. The chunin looked over at his teammate with sad eyes. Neji on the other hand was furious and ripped his arm away from Lee and used it to punch him right against his temple.

The Hyuuga panted as he pulled the sleeve of his shirt back down and watched Lee try to focus his eyes. The taller man knew how to take a punch and had merely staggered back.

"Do not touch me." Neji's voice was dripping a dangerous poison that even Lee knew to be wary of.

Lee held a hand to his forehead and growled through clenched teeth. "How'd you get those?"

Neji held his arm and glared at Lee. He stayed silent and Lee became furious.

"Neji!"

The Hyuuga couldn't believe how persistent Lee was being. His mind told him to leave but his feet wouldn't move. The last thing he wanted to do was explain the injury.

"Neji…" Lee's eyes dropped their glare as he tried to step closer to the Hyuuga. Neji wouldn't let him close the gap and just held his arm to his chest, his own lavender eyes closing into slits as he stared at the ground, remaining silent.

The chunin sighed and looked the Jounin once over. He scratched the back of his head and cooled off from his anger.

"I…I'm sorry I yelled, I was just concerned…" Lee tried to explain as Neji did his best to ignore his teammate.

"Thanks but I don't need your 'concern'." Neji knew he shouldn't be angry with his teammate; Lee couldn't help but care for others. It annoyed the Hyuuga that he was trying to force everyone away. But the other option was to let everyone in and Neji didn't want that.

The two stood silent for a few seconds until Lee turned back to the way they'd came.

"Do you want me to leave?" Lee asked, his usual caring self returning. Neji felt the sting of guilt; Lee was just trying to understand what was going on.

He stood in the alley way and wrapped his fingers around his arm, squeezing it tightly.

"Lee." The chunin turned around and looked at the Hyuuga. Neji walked towards him and tried to say what he wanted but he couldn't find his voice. He gulped and pushed away that anxiety when it showed itself.

"I got the burns…" Neji's muscles all over his body flexed as he continued. Lee starred at him with a slightly surprised expression.

"I got them when I was bound by the enemy…"

The Hyuuga felt the lump fill his throat as Lee blinked and exclaimed.

"Oh, I hadn't realized you…Geez, Neji, You scared me there." The Chunin's laughing threw the long haired brunette off.

"Everyone gets injuries on missions, it's not gonna hurt your pride if people find out you got hurt a little." Lee's voice was light and happy. Like his worries had been washed away.

Neji stared at the other man for a moment. Lee though his pride was hurt just because he was captured?

Did he not know?

Lee took Neji's silence as embarrassment. He rubbed his head and motioned back to the main street. He hid his concern as well as he could. He had a strange feeling in his gut that something was up with the Hyuuga but he didn't want to confront Neji too directly.

"Did you wanna head back to street?"

"I suppose." Neji's voice was steady as the chills ran over his skin. Had Lee not seen Gai carrying him back? Had he not seen the ripped clothes or the mess the Jounin had been in?

Neji pushed it back as well as he could. But the feather touches crept up as they started to leave the labyrinth of back alleys.

#

It'd only taken the men a few seconds to secure the Hyuuga and tie his wrist down. By this point Neji was fighting back any chance he got, kicking his legs towards faces and he'd head butted one of them. The leader's low chuckle was all he could hear even with all the commotion around him.

#

As the memories began to climb closer to what he'd feared the Hyuuga became tenser and was completely aware of everything Lee did as the two walked.

He began to sweat as the invisible fingers ran over in chest and made his breath stop. The other man had quick caught on to Neji's strange behavior.

"Neji?" The Hyuuga jumped at the sound of the other shinobi's voice. Usually calm and uninterested lavender eyes were now quick and wide. They were trying to focus on what was in front of them and not what was playing behind them.

Rock Lee had decided enough was enough. He slapped the long haired brunette Jounin hard across the cheek.

The fuzz of white noise filled the Hyuuga's head as the memories disappeared. He took a shallow inhale as the heat entered his cheek. The Hyuuga felt the calm wash over his skin like cold water. Washing the invisible hands away and cooling his tormented skin.

Lee could see the Hyuuga had calmed down but the fire under his skin was all the more fueled. The surrounding area didn't have many people, the sun was setting so many people had already began to return home.

"What the hell is wrong with you!?" Lee raised his voice at the now concerned looking Hyuuga.

"I thought you'd been acting weird because we failed the mission, but now I'm starting to think it's a bit more than that!"

Neji slightly regained his composure and turned his stubborn head away from the other man. Lee's fire exploded.

He jumped at the brunette, tackling the Jounin and the two tumbled to the ground. They were caught in a short stress fueled fight. Lee got a hit the Neji's chest, hitting one of the Hyuuga's larger bruises though he didn't know it. But Neji returned the anger and pain with a few quick and rough jabs to the other's face.

In the heat of the battle between the two men Neji had completely forgotten about his Gentle Fist until Lee's hand grabbed his wrist to stop another punch. The tight, coil of the fingers around his wrist made the pain from the rope and friction return in a flash of fear.

The Hyuuga's eyes were covered in a thick sheet of fear and anxiety, Lee stopped and panted as he still held firm. Neji's mind wasn't in the present all he could see was the enemies face and the hands and body that hurt him the way they did.

The panic got the better of Neji as the shrunken lavender of his eyes dilated and the warm liquid filled in the crooks of his eyes. The Hyuuga felt the tightening of his throat and how dry it became.

Lee all but jumped in the air at the realization of Neji's tears overflowing on to his cheeks. The black haired man released Neji's hand and blinked quickly.

"Neji? W-What? Did I hurt you?" Lee got off the Hyuuga in frenzy and helped the long haired brunette sit up. The black haired shinobi place his hands on Neji's shoulders gently, he rubbed small circles into the soft skin of the crooks in Neji's collar bone. Lee could feel the shivering coming from the other man. He frowned as he helped Neji stand and down the street.

#

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	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: You guys! Stop making me blush! Omg, you're amazing! **

**I just wanted to give a shout out to Cole-Hyuuga and EatEmUp, two of my long time fans; they stuck with me even though I had all but abandoned my account. Love you guys!**

**But that doesn't mean I don't love all my other fans as well, Darkstardragon432, Little-neon (Yes the perv was you XD), and littlegirl99, Thanks for your reviews!**

**Pama loves you!**

#

A sharp knife was place down on the Hyuuga's bare chest. He growled as he pulled against the ropes like a rage filled animal.

The chuckle had turned to an almost humming sound as the leader pressed his hot, sweaty hands against the porcelain of Neji's stomach. The brunette tried to suck in his stomach to pull his skin away from the disgusting man's hands.

"Release me!"

A roar of sniggers and laughter.

Neji's glare dropped slightly as he realized his situation. The panic that came with it filled his veins. He pulled harder and heard the tearing noise as well as the few shocked gasped along with it. As soon as the painfully pressure on his wrist was gone he brought a chakra filled punch down on the leader's chest.

The force of the rebound knocked Neji's head agonizingly against the table. And as he regained his clear eyes slight he saw a hand come down on his face, another punch hit his temple making the colored dots dance in from of his eyes.

"You little!" A kick to the table legs made the Hyuuga and the table come crashing to the floor. A kick to the chest and another to the rib cage.

#

A gasp woke the Hyuuga from the scarily real flash back. He sat up in the large bed, scanning the room. Dark green blankets were almost black in the dark night light. And the corners of the room were filled with discarded clothes and lifting weights.

It didn't take much for Neji to figure out he was at Rock Lee's apartment. The Hyuuga removed the sheets and blankets and made his way toward the door. As the soft creaking of the door sounded Neji could hear Lee's low sleepy grumbles from the couch in the living room.

The Hyuuga walked over and saw his teammate sprawled along his couch that was much too short for someone of Lee's height. Neji sat down on the chair across from the other man and watched the green loving chest fall and rise.

The Hyuuga had a wave of grief wash over his mind, he'd cried in front of someone. He showed Lee such a vulnerable part of him. Neji couldn't help but feel a mixture of difficult emotions; Sadness, self-loathing, a bit of anger and the fear of betrayal. He hated himself more than he'd even in his entire life.

He'd attack his mentor, showed weakness in front of his teammate, Lee proclaimed them to be rivals as well. He'd also been cruel and harsh with those close to him, almost as if he was reverting back to his cold, antisocial ways.

The brunette ran his hands through his long hair, trying to fix the frizz that'd appeared throughout the day's events. His lavender eyes calmed as he sent his gaze of the sleeping man, Lee looked relaxed as he grumbled slurs in his sleep.

The Hyuuga smiled as he stared at his teammate, he'd seen Lee sleep before when they were on missions but now the atmosphere seemed to be heavier. Almost as if he wasn't supposed to be too informal.

"Lee?" The long hair brunette spoke calming in a deep tone. "Are you still asleep?"

The bowl haired man blinked sleepily and chuckled tired. "The day Neji Hyuuga asked a question that doesn't make since. If I was asleep how would I answer?"

Lee ran a hand over his face and sat up on the small couch. Neji took in really how much taller the other shinobi was. He grown a lot, no longer was he the weak failure everyone had made him out to be. The Hyuuga began to fully grasp how much Lee had matured since they'd first met.

Neji opened his mouth to say what he wanted but his voice wouldn't come out. His eyes lowered and could feel the cold whip over his skin.

The warmth of skin made the Hyuuga look up, Lee was leaned over, closer to Neji, his hand grabbing the long haired brunette's.

"Take your time, we got all night." The hush, deep tremor of Rock Lee's voice filled the Hyuuga's chest with welcomed warmth. The man removed his hand and watched Neji, waiting. The Hyuuga could feel the warmth of his hand linger.

The best place to start would be to explain why he was telling Lee.

"You know how I attacked Gai earlier today." Lee nodded and glanced at the clock before adding.

"Well, yesterday."

Neji looked over to the clock hanging from the wall and indeed saw it was just after midnight. He smiled sadly at Lee's attempt to lighten the mood.

"I'd gone over to report in about the mission but because of something that'd happened, I had a bit of a loss of reality." The Hyuuga stopped talking; he felt a tightening in his rib cage, stealing his breath away. Was he really doing the best thing telling Lee?

"And you hit Gai-Sensei thinking he was one of the rouge ninja that'd attacked us?" Lee asked trying to understand. The long hair brunette nodded slowly and stared down at the floor.

"He thinks I should go speak with Tsunade." The Hyuuga's words hung in the air for a little while as he hoped Lee could piece everything together himself. Neji felt the awkward mood fill the area between the two of them.

"So that's why you've been so strange lately?" The bowl haired man rubbed his neck; he glanced at the Hyuuga with dark orbs barely visible in the dark room, but still had the shine of the moonlight reflect off them. "Wow, I feel really bad now…"

Neji sent him an odd look. "You feel bad? Why?"

"Well, I've been giving you such a hard time. And I didn't even think about that you might've been seriously hurt." Lee's voice was certainly coated in guilt.

Lee grabbed Neji's hand again and looked him in the eyes, speaking with such a pure apologetic tone. "I'm sorry I've been so difficult."

The Hyuuga chuckled a bit forced. "It's not your fault, I should be able to deal with my problems and act more professional."

Lee's thumb rubbed the top of Neji's hand.

"You don't have to be so guarded, Neji. Let me help you. Get some of this off your chest." The other shinobi stared at the long haired brunette waiting again for Neji to continue.

The Hyuuga gulped and cleared his throat, feeling the dryness rise throughout it.

"After I was captured I was brought to their camp. They wanted information about how to get into Konoha and once they saw I had the Byakugan they wanted to know where they could get it. Because mine are sealed so once they are removed or I die they would be no good."

Neji paused and was well aware of Lee holding on to his hand. A strange abnormal anxiety entered his head, it wasn't bad or fearful just unusual.

"After I refused to tell them anything…" The feather touches curved in his neck and a dull ringing filled the Hyuuga's ears. He gripped Lee's hand and grabbed his arm with his free hand to keep it from shaking.

He felt the gross need to vomit come on. And what was worse was Lee was sitting next to him, starring right at him. He was seeing Neji's weak and frail condition. How he was barely able to form sentences because of how messed up he was. Then there was the self hatred, He felt the rage directed at himself for being so utterly helpless and unworthy of any of his statuses. A Jounin of Konoha, a Hyuuga and just an adult man.

"They…'tortured' me…to try and get information and after awhile I just snapped and you know the rest."

Lee was waiting for the Hyuuga to say anything else but when he didn't, Rock Lee stepped into dangerous territory. "When you say torture, you mean they beat you?"

"They did beat me quite a bit." The Hyuuga unconsciously moved his hand on his arm to his rib cage and could feel the bandages. Neji wanted to explain to Lee everything but he couldn't cut through the shame that held him back.

"But there was more?"

Neji remained quite without answering Lee hoping he'd understand it as a yes.

The two sat in even more silence.

Minutes ticked by as Neji tried to control himself and regain his emotions. Lee just stared at the floor with a weird expression behind his black eyes.

Neji broke the silence by asking. "Is it alright if I stay until morning?"

"Of course, there's no way I'd kick you." Lee smiled a little and slowly released Neji's hand, both of their hands had become sweaty and hot from the heat of each other's.

"Well I'm not going to make you sleep on the couch in your own home. You take the bed, I'll sleep out here." Neji stated, holding his head high, earning a happy look from Lee.

"Neji, you're not sleeping on the couch." The bowl haired man laughed and offered a little more awkwardly.

"We can share my bed; I mean we've shared beds before on missions."

The Hyuuga felt that unusual anxiety rise up his spine. He couldn't quite place it but it made him feel uneasy.

"I see no problem with that."

Lee and Neji made their way into the large bed room. The tanner shinobi went over to the bathroom first and left the Hyuuga to get comfortable before him. Neji sat down on the side he'd been on before. He rested into the blankets and pillow.

He pulled his hair over his shoulder so it wouldn't spread all over in his sleep. He felt that he hadn't said everything he wanted but he was tired and didn't want to be anymore stressed. He sighed and thought about their conversation. He was embarrassed and nervous about how Lee now was able to see Neji's unstable state.

The door clicking caught the long haired brunette's attention and he watched out of the corner of his eye as Lee yawned and moved into his bed. He sat up for a moment, removing his loose green shirt. Then he lied down, facing away from Neji. Their backs faced each other as a dull silence flooded around them. They'd shared beds before but why did this time feel so different?

Was it because Neji had let Lee inside his head a little? Maybe it was the complete change of emotions that happened in the Hyuuga's head every time he thought about something.

"Hey Neji, you awake?" Lee offered in a bit of a smug fashion. Neji soon realized he was teasing the Jounin.

"Get some sleep before I hit you." The Hyuuga smirked as he moved into the pillow a little, getting more comfortable. They both lay still for a while but then the long haired man felt the bed sink a little and Lee turned to face the other shinobi's back. He moved closer to where his chest and Neji's back were almost touching.

The buzz of heat on his back made Neji look back over his shoulder. He met Lee's eyes. He'd looked Lee in the eyes millions of times before but something about the workings behind made Neji feel hot in the face. Does Neji Hyuuga blush? Hell no. He just got a bit of a heat rush from all of Lee's body heat.

"What?" The Jounin tried to be stern but it came out more a confused. Lee's black orbs were calm and his eye lids had drooped a bit. His smile was small but still had a content pleasure about it.

"I'm just happy." Lee chuckle to himself before he snaked his arm under Neji's side and hugged the Hyuuga's midsection. His other arm wrapped around the top of the longhaired brunette's waist. The Hyuuga had become very tense at the strange human contact. He'd never been so informal with someone outside of his family.

Lee didn't seem to notice how awkward Neji felt as he moved the two of them close, Neji could feel the gentle thump of the Chunin's heart on his upper back.

"Lee?!"

"I'm happy that you trust me enough to talk to me, I know that talking about what troubles you is really hard for you. So it makes me happy we're so close." Lee's voice was happy like a child on Christmas. The Hyuuga sighed slightly aggravated but he'd let Rock Lee have his way this time.

The seemly friendly hug made it difficult for the Hyuuga to relax and fall asleep. Lee was knocked out in a mere ten minutes but the strange sensation of such casual body contact was very new to Neji. He never even touched others if they were outside his family. Lee had hugged him a few times out of the spur of the moment excitement so the Hyuuga was never truly angry at the other shinobi.

Neji took the moment in for a bit, the pillow was soft and comfortable as well as the bedding. His long hair tickled a bit under his chin, he couldn't feel it on his neck because of the turtle neck he wore. The shirt was thick but not too hot even when layered with the blankets and Lee's body heat.

Then there was the push against his back when Lee would breathe in. The beating of his heart filled Neji's ears as well as the taller shinobi's breathing. The Hyuuga slowly moved his arm so it lay on top of Lee's warmer arm. His pale porcelain colored skin was so clear against the bowl haired man's. Lee wasn't wearing his bandages on his arms so the many scars and cuts were visible. Neji ran his fingers over the indents softly so he wouldn't wake the green loving ninja.

Even with all the heat around him he felt a chill run over his skin and he moved Lee's arm closer to his chest for warmth. His arms laxly warped around Lee's.

Neji would've just called it his imagination and lack of sleep but he swore he saw a smirk appear on the taller man's lips before the Hyuuga fell asleep.

#

After the leader had finished his violent rage he left the Hyuuga to cough in pain for a moment. Blood mixed with spit as Neji tried to breathe, his lungs refusing to fill with air.

"Now, you little shit." The man kicked Neji's shoulder so he rolled onto his back. He leaned down, one hand on his knee another to grab the bruised Hyuuga's face.

Neji glared as the man tilted his chin in a painful direction.

"I was going to be nice but I think I've changed my mind."

The leader jerked his hand away and stood straight looking over at his rouge shinobi. The Hyuuga could feel the eyes of all the ninja even thought he was still blindfolded.

#

Another morning passed by as the sound of clicking heels and doors opening and closing was heard on the outside of the room. Lee woke up first he lifted his head towards the door but then something else grabbed his attention. The Jounin still in his arms was sleeping soundly like an infant. Rock Lee smiled as his heart beat sped up. He figured he never be able to express the joy just having Neji trust him. And even more than that the Hyuuga was comfortable enough to sleep so close to the green-lover.

Lee grabbed the blanket and brought it closer to Neji's shoulder, his own back now bare in the cold room. He could feel the soft breath on his hand and the Hyuuga's thumping chest on his arm. The overflowing emotions in his head made the chunin lead down so his lips brushed against the soft skin of Neji's cheek.

Before he could enjoy the scene anymore a familiar voice called out as she opened the door.

"Lee! Come on, get up sleepy-" Rock Lee jump up in bed, bare chest, next to a blanket covered Neji, both looking very tired from their midnight talking. But of course the short haired brunette didn't know this. Tenten squeaked like a mouse as two girls appeared behind her, Ino and Sakura.

"Head?" Tenten finished her sentence but was canceled out by the other two gasps.

As Lee tired to begin to explain a tired groan came from Neji and the sleepy Jounin sat up a bit, blanket still resting on his shoulders.

"Lee? What time is it?" The Hyuuga yawned and turned to the other man finding the three girls standing in the door frame. Even with his attempt to keep his hair nice and silky it was still bed tossed and frizzy in places.

"Um…" Tenten began to push the two other girls out of the door frame and said softly. "We'll wait in the other room…"

The Hyuuga confused, looked over to Lee with his pain stricken face of trying not to laugh, Neji quickly understood.

"Oh, God, really!?" The long haired brunette got out of the bed and fixed his hair as he walked into the living room with the waiting girls, leaving Lee to laugh his ass off.

After Neji explain with minimal details what'd really happened the girls laughed with each other recalling the event even though it'd just happened.

"Oh my god! Tenten, your face was so funny!" Ino called over their loud talking and laughing. Sakura held her sides as she giggled and Tenten responded with a smirk.

"Well I think Sakura liked it!"

The pink haired girl turned the color of her hair.

"I-I did not!"

This caused the other two to laugh louder. Meanwhile Neji was back in Lee's bedroom trying to clean himself up. He entered the bathroom before Lee, showered and removed the bandages from his neck and chest. The Hyuuga decided he would run by the complex and grab some more. He didn't really want to ask Lee for some.

As he brushed his hair the bruises on his white skin were reflected in the mirror. The purple colors had left for the most part now most of them were a sickly gray, green and yellow. His ribs were painful if pressed against too hard.

Neji placed his blue turtle neck shirt back on and check to make sure all the marks were covered.

As he made his way into the living room the girls grew a bit quieter and giggled softly. Lee sent the Hyuuga sympathetic look, knowing Neji was the last person that would want to be the center of attention.

"So does Tenten usually barge into your home?" Neji asked as Lee offered him a water but he shook his head. The bun haired girl fake pouted and replied.

"Lee lets me in all the time, plus its way too hard to get in the Hyuuga complex without an invitation." She stood up to poke the Hyuuga in the chest accusingly; even with her heels Neji was still much taller than the weapons specialist.

"And you've been so weird lately that I don't know what to do with you! I was hoping Lee'd be able to drag you out to come hang with us but…I see he'd kind of already thought of that…"

Tenten had a tinge of pink enter her cheeks as she removed her finger from Neji's chest. The Hyuuga groaned annoyed and reminded the girls.

"Once again, that didn't happen. I just stayed the night."

"In his bed?" Ino offered with a smirk. The Hyuuga sent the blonde a warning glare.

"Okay, that was my fault." Lee called, focusing the attention on his bowl hair instead of Neji. "He offered to take the couch but I wouldn't let him."

Sakura blushed as a cheesy Boys Love scene played in her head; Ino noticed her pink cheeks and began laughing again.

As the girl began to blabber again Neji walked over to Lee and flicked his shoulder, sending a bit of chakra with so it actually hurt the green-lover. He yelped and looked to the Hyuuga for an explanation but got none.

Soon enough time ticked by as the group of older ninja made their way around the shopping district so the girls could spend their extra pay on clothes they'd barely wear because they'd be in their work outfits all the time anyway. Lee and Neji were on bag holding duty as the girls spent money.

"It's pretty hot, huh?" Lee offered to start a conversation. Neji'd been stand offish since he woke up. Lee assumed he was just upset about the girls' teasing. The green lover glance over at the Hyuuga, it was clear he was sweating and the thick turtle neck wasn't helping.

"It's alright." The long haired brunette brought a hand to the bottom of his head band and wiped the little droplets from his brow.

"What's with the shirt anyway?" Even with the bags hung around his arms Lee pulled at the shoulder of the basic shinobi issue, navy blue, turtle neck shirt.

"What do you mean?" Neji tired to come off as unfazed but lavender met black worried orbs and Lee dropped the subject for now.

The Hyuuga noticed that Lee had been much more lenient with his questions. Usually the green-lover would pester the Hyuuga until he got something he was satisfied with. Lee's eyes lit up and a smile was painted on his face as they made their way into another store.

As the hours went by, ever so often Neji would look over to meet his eyes with Lee and a strange chill would run up his spine, he wasn't quite sure if it was good or bad. He also noticed that Lee was being a bit nicer to him, not that Lee wasn't already nice, but he had a certain kind of aura around him when he'd do something for the long haired brunette.

Neji drew the line when Lee, arms full of bags, tried to hold the door open for the Hyuuga. He glared daggers and used the other side of the doors. He hadn't minded it in the beginning but then he began to wonder if Lee was being so friendly out of pity or sympathy, which filled Neji with anger.

He was a Jounin, and a Hyuuga. He was not going to let himself be treated like some wounded princess. The bowl haired man didn't catch on to the brunette's anger and kept fueling it.

"I think it's time to call it a night, girls." Sakura sighed as she searched her empty wallet. Ino nodded and stretch her arms.

Even though the girls were finishing up and saying their goodbyes, Neji saw Lee made no move to leave the group. After the girls collected their bags and figured out what was whose, the three left for home.

The chilling afternoon air made Lee crave a hot bowl of miso soup. He turned to look at the brunette, Neji was glaring at him.

"Um... Do you want to grab something to eat?" Rock Lee smiled innocently even though he figured what had made the Hyuuga angry.

"No, I'm going home." Neji's words were like a whip.

"Ah, I see." The tanner man followed the Jounin as they made their way out of the shopping district.

The two were silent as they passed the quieting streets, the children that usually played in the streets were returning home and most of the older Konoha citizens were making their last errands of the day. The sky was turning a ray of pinks and oranges. Lee breathed in and smelled the crisp air with pleasure.

The bow haired man looked forward to see the Hyuuga walking with a familiar pride and superior air around him. The way his hair was perfectly in tune with his legs and his shoulders were firm but not flexed. Lee knew the familiar tug in his chest, he'd felt it when he'd convinced himself he was in love with Sakura.

"Neji?" The taller man called out and saw the other stop. Lee walked up beside him and waited for a reply.

"Have you pitied me all day?" The accusing tone from the Hyuuga made Lee see he'd stepped on a landmine.

"No, I'm just trying to be a bit more sensitive-"

"So you've been feeling sorry for me? That's pity, Lee." Neji scoffed and turned away more angry than he had been before. Lee raised an eyebrow and fueled the fire.

"I'm sorry, I recognize that you're hurt, I think you-" Lee was cut off as a ribbon of dark caramel flew through the air; Neji gripped the chunin by the front of his shirt and brought the two close together.

"I am not hurt." Each word was laced with an invisible poison. Neji's Byakugan was activated as his eyes were squeezed into slits. The tremors in his hands were stimulated by a new found rush of adrenaline.

The chills of the memories ran over his flexed arms.

Lee watched as Neji gulped and released the green lover slowly. The Hyuuga turned away and deactivated his Byakugan. Rock lee saw a flash of guilt run behind the lavender orbs.

"I'm sorry; I just lost my head for a bit." Neji grabbed his forearm where the burn marks began to sting.

Lee began to try and talk to the Jounin but Neji turned away and left. Rock Lee sighed a bit sadly, maybe the best thing right now was a bit of alone time for the both of them.

The green loving chunin watched Neji's long brown hair disappear into the living district. Lee smiled a bit hurt, even if Neji thought he was tricking the other man the taller shinobi knew exactly where the Hyuuga was headed.

#

The dirt he was shoved against was brittle and coarse. The urge to vomit filled his throat, stomach and head. Neji had been left against the disgusting ground, coughing and hurt all over. The leader of the rouges just sat and watched and the Hyuuga weakly pulled at the ties on his arms.

The brunette growled softly as he tried to cover as much of himself as he could. Even though these horrid and morbid men had defiled him he still had his pride as a shinobi.

"Would you stop fighting? Just tell me what I want to go and I'll let you go." The leader's voice rang out in the now empty tent. The others had left when they'd had their turn. Just thinking about it made the Hyuuga want to empty his stomach.

"I'll kill every one of you." Neji snarled as he blindly tried to untie his hands even if it was futile.

The deep chuckle filled the Hyuuga's ears. The man had moved closer, and soon enough Neji could feel the presence next to his bare form.

"Silly little shinobi…" A hand reached out and grabbed a fist full of caramel hair, pulling roughly so the Hyuuga faced the man.

Neji grinded his teeth together and bared them like an angered dog.

The chuckling again.

"Well that's fine, I like them lively." The hand forced Neji closer and he felt the hot and musky breath of his neck. "That way I get the joy of breaking them."

The Hyuuga spit in the man's direction and felt the triumph when the hand released him and the leader grumbled.

"You sound like a cheesy story book villain." Neji hissed as he pulled against the pole his arms were tied to.

Before he could do anything significant a foot came down on his leg, pressing more weight on it slowly. The Hyuuga yelped and bit his bruised and cut lips to keep from crying out. The man could do whatever he wanted but Neji would keep his pride in the end.

"If I'm the villain does that make you the hurt maiden waiting to be rescued?" The rouge ninja snarled as he pressed harder on Neji's leg.

The Hyuuga's knuckles turned a white color as he gripped the binds around his wrists. He wanted to hurt the man, he wanted to hit him, kick him, and murder him. Never had the Hyuuga been filled with such a rage.

"Maybe you just break with time, huh, Maiden?" Neji's hair was pulled against as the man's teeth pressed into the soft skin. The Hyuuga grunted and turned away hoping to faint or make the man stop.

The rough fingers ran over his chest making him move away from the touch but that just made the grip in his hair tighten.

The heat ran over the Hyuuga's skin a swampy, nasty sensation filled his chest as the man felt the areas of his exposed skin, biting and sucking on his neck and chest.

The brunette yelped as his chest coiled in on itself, the man bit down harder.

#

**Now I might not get the next chapter up until next weekend, I have school starting Monday, as well as a driving test I need to study for. I'll try my best but no promises right now.**

**Reviews make me update faster!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: IMPORTANT MESSAGE AT END! PLEASE READ!**

**#**

Neji sat in front of his father's grave. His chin was in his hands as he starred at the inscription of his father's name. The quiet night air was cold but the Hyuuga didn't mind. His eye lids fell half way past his lavender eyes. He couldn't help but remember how kind his father was to him. He smiled a little at the thought of how his father would scold him for being so anti-social all the time.

Neji lifted his face off his hands and wrapped his arms around his knees, pulling them close to his chest and hiding his saddened expression.

He still didn't want to go home. Even if he was able to get past Hinata, his uncle Hiashi would not be so easily. He would push the younger brunette to tell him what was troubling him.

Neji shook slightly as he imaged to look of hate and disgust on his uncle face.

"I knew you'd be here." The voice surprised the long haired male. But he didn't turn around, for one he didn't want the other person to see his current expression and he knew he didn't need to.

Rock Lee walked over to him and sat down next to the Hyuuga, who was still curled up in on himself.

"You always come here when you're upset." His voice was soft but still had that deep tone like it did when he talked normally.

Neji placed his chin on his crossed arms and sighed. He'd regained control and made his expression blank. He turned his head slightly and asked in a similar hushed tone.

"Why are you here?"

Lee smiled but his eyes were sad. Neji watched as his tan skin tone was darker in the dim moon light and his hair could barely be silhouetted against the dark forest. But his eyes were still bright and shined as he leaned against his own arm, one leg laid on the ground while the other held his arm up. He faced the Hyuuga's questioning eyes but let his eyes drop to the ground.

The midnight's silence was broken by the other male's sorrow filled voice. "I was worried about you."

The Hyuuga's stubbornness appeared and he closed his eyes facing his father's grave again, his voice cold like ice. "Thank you, but I don't need your sympathy."

"It's not sympathy." Lee kept his tone the same as Neji opened his lavender eyes and glared at the grave.

"Neji." Lee tried again. The Hyuuga slumped and groaned to himself. Neji mumbled a response.

"What?"

"I wanted to apologize about what happened before." Lee smiled a little as he starred at the long haired brunette. Neji remained hidden in his lap. Lee dropped his smile and reached over very slowly. He watched the Hyuuga's reaction as he ran his hand along Neji's long hair.

The long haired brunette stared at his chest as he felt his teammate's finger intertwined in his long hair. Neji's eye lids lowered as his eye brows lifted. The soft, caring touch was so foreign to him. The chills ran up his spine and a squeezing feeling filled his chest.

"Hey, Neji." The hand stopped and lifted a strand of his long hair. The Hyuuga raised his head and met Lee's eyes. Neji saw a spark of something in the other man's eyes that he'd noticed hadn't been there before.

The goofy, funny Lee seemed to have transformed into a serious and mature Rock Lee right before the Hyuuga's eyes.

The taller green loving male got up and onto his knees, moving closer to Neji. He softly grabbed the Hyuuga's arms and untangled them, pulling them closer to him.

"Neji."

The long haired brunette gulped slightly and turned away as a rush of heat filled his cheeks. Just the way he'd said his name. Neji had trusted Lee above everybody else, but being so close to someone and letting someone inside his head even if it only a little scared the brunette.

The green-lover felt a tug of heat pull at his chest and felt the unyielding urge to show his affection to the other shinobi.

"Can I kiss you?"

That caused the Hyuuga to look back at the other man and wear a confused expression. Sure he and Lee had known each other forever but the Hyuuga had never thought about him in a romantic fashion. The movements of Lee made him uneasy. The fingers wrapped around his forearms seemed to be made of lava, they made his skin burn.

"Kiss? Why would you…?"

Neji gulped loudly and watched as the taller, tanner man moved himself closer so that their chests were pressed against each other. The Hyuuga became extremely warm and the heat made him feel like he was sweating.

But the heat was different; it wasn't a sore irritation. More like there was a steam sauna under his skin.

"L-Lee?" He cursed himself for having stuttered and how weak it'd made him sound. He had a bit of discomfort entered his head. How Lee towered over him and held tightly onto his arms made him remember.

"Come on, Lee. This isn't funny anymore" He tired to sound more like his normal self but it wasn't working. The other man could hear the fear in his voice. This made Lee loosen his grip. The Hyuuga was about to pull himself away but Lee grabbed Neji and pulled him on top of the green loving ninja.

Lee pressed his back against the grass as he pulled Neji's head down to meet his gaze. The two sat there for a few seconds, though it felt like minutes to the brunette. The Hyuuga had never thought that Lee would be coming at him like this; he hadn't even known that the other man had feelings for the Jounin.

Lee and Neji stared at each other for a while. The black orbs filled with a sort of longing behind them. The Hyuuga's fingers moved awkwardly on the green lover's chest. The close contact threw him off.

"Lee, stop it." Neji tried to push himself up but the other male grabbed his chin and ran his thumb over the Hyuuga's lower lip. The long haired brunette froze as the trembles ran up his back. Lee smiled softly and moved his hand as he pressed his lips against the Hyuuga's.

The long haired brunette first didn't believe that he and Lee were actually kissing. It wasn't something he could've thought of in a hundred years. Neji began debating if he should punch the other man or simply stay still.

Instead much to the Hyuuga's own surprised, he kissed back slightly and clumsily. Neji's uneasiness left him has he pressed his head down against the other man's. Lee smirked into the kiss and sucked on the brunette's lower lip, biting at it. The Hyuuga gulped nervously as Lee completely diminished his control of his emotions, his hard glare had all but been forgotten as Neji leaned against Lee and continued to kiss him.

The air around them was cold and made the Hyuuga push himself closer to the source of heat that was Rock lee. Neji's mind didn't register what was really going on; the excitement of the moment clouded any usual thinking. All there was the ground, Lee and the interaction they were sharing.

The fear and anxiety were nonexistent as if Lee had pushed them completely from Neji's mind.

"Neji" Lee murmured into the kiss, making the Hyuuga frown vaguely. Neji growled as he broke the kiss for a moment. He didn't want Lee to ruin his momentary bliss.

"Shut up."

Lee found this amusing and hummed in his joking voice. "Only if you make me."

Neji's face turned bright pink making the other man laughed. The Hyuuga brought his head close to Lee's and parted his lips, keeping his eyes shut tight. He all but flinched as he felt Lee's tongue gently press against his mouth.

As he got used to the taste Lee left in his mouth and the way Lee's tongue moved, Neji began to move his own wet muscle back against the other man's.

Soon breathing through his nose wasn't enough and Neji pulled away. He panted quietly and sat up a little. He then felt Lee's hand move to the sides of his chest, massaging softly. He still tasted Lee in his mouth.

"L-Lee."

The other man murmured a 'yes' as he moved himself up so he was sucking under the Hyuuga's ear.

"Stop now." Neji's firmness returned as he pressed himself away from the green spandex loving shinobi. Lee gripped his fingers into Neji's side to make him stay as he moved his lip under the Hyuuga's chin. The brunette had remembered that he was angry at the green-lover not only for treating him like he needed to be pitied but now that the chunin had kissed him.

"Lee, stop it. What's with this sudden urge to kiss me anyways?"The Hyuuga's hard personality was back and Neji argued as Lee moved to pull the turtle neck down.

The Hyuuga's eyes shock open wide and he smacked his friend across the cheek.

The grave site was dead silent in the dark night.

Lee's face had turned to the side from the impact of the hit, he was lucky the Hyuuga hadn't infused it with chakra. But the tanner shinobi's eyes were locked on the long haired brunette's neck. When Neji had hit him he'd pulled the turtle neck slightly down with his fingers that were hook in the fabric to reveal the many marks and bruises that lay underneath it.

The Hyuuga felt the shame overflow in him as he saw Lee piece the puzzle together in his head. He glared as he pushed himself off Rock Lee. He pulled the turtle neck as high as he could against his neck and quickly left the grave site.

All that could run through Neji's head was the humiliation and hatred that pulsed in his head. Now Lee, the only person Neji trusted, knew everything and knew about how the Hyuuga had been so weak that he'd…that he'd…

"Neji! Neji, wait!" Lee called in a panic after the Hyuuga but Neji quickly made the appropriate hand signals and teleported away from his teammate, disappearing in a cloud of puffy white smoke.

#

Panting, Neji was panting. He tried to focus his eyes as the blurry, red images. He looked around slowly; the fuzzy curves of a body became clearer. Neji looked down to see the kunai in his hand. He growled as he recognized the leader of the group. The animalistic instincts took over and he jumped through the air kunai first, plunging it into the black cloth covered neck.

He noticed his white robe bottoms had been replace and were now covered in the enemies' blood. The other in the camp stared with wide eyes and began to shoat things.

Neji let all the rage and hurt fuel his movements. He spent all his energy on killing every last one of his captors. While fighting he'd seen his top to his Hyuuga robes.

He grabbed it and saw the rustling of bushes. His Byakugan activated and he was on the escapee in a flash. Appearing behind the clothed man and hearing the cry begging for mercy.

Neji panted as the adrenaline rush subsided. He searched the area, no signs of any others. A rustling of the trees made the Hyuuga look up and watched the birds fly away. His eyes were fierce and angry. The blood of several other human beings stained the white Hyuuga robes. Neji felt the relief of knowing he'd killed every one of them.

"Neji!" A voice called form above. The Hyuuga held up the kunai to attack but the flash of green and orange made him drop it.

"G-Gai-sensei?" The brunette looked at his mentor and saw the sorrow and guilt in his eyes. Neji looked down at his hands, coated in red crimson. He was suddenly confused, how had he gotten free? Where had the kunai come from?

He mind began to push the memories into the back of his head.

"Why…?" The long haired brunette slumped to the dirt and clawed his fingers into the dirt.

#

The long haired brunette gasped for air as he hit solid ground. His skin was on fire, he couldn't formulate a full sentence. He looked up to see he was a far ways from the grave site and had moved fairly close to the Hyuuga complex.

Lavender eyes burned as he could still see Lee's face in his head. Rock Lee would always give the benefit of the doubt but that pure, raw, fury he'd seen in the black eyes made Neji fear the worst.

Lee would now over react and do something drastic, the chunin wasn't known for keeping his anger under control in extreme situations. The Hyuuga touched the dirt with his hands slowly, a strange fuzzy feeling washing over his body.

Suddenly his hands weren't his and he felt detached from them, he could see he was touching the rocks and soil but there was no dry gravel feeling. The fuzzy feeling made him feel so numb, like he wasn't even inside his own skin.

The Hyuuga took in the moment and felt that sweet delight that came with the blankness of his mind. To be in his own little area in the back of his head made the Jounin feel a bit of his stress release from his shoulders, they'd become so tense lately.

_W-What's going on…?_

"Neji!" A voice called out the brunette's name but Neji pushed it away, wanted to stay in his state of numbness. But as he remembered why he wanted to stay the memories filled into his head violently.

A hand grabbed his shoulder roughly and the leader of rouge ninja appeared before the Hyuuga.

He moved back, falling on his side starring at the bright yellow eyes staring back at him. The sweat fell from his face as he twitched uncontrollably, the horrid ghost touches all over his skin reminded him of every little violation that he'd had to ender.

He tried to speak as the man came closer, his outside slightly blurry. The rest of the scenery swayed to portray the forest and the camp where the Hyuuga had been taken. Neji began to panic when the man reached his hand out.

"No! Don't touch me!" His shrill voice was full of fear and frustration.

"Neji!" The Hyuuga was hit hard across the face.

Neji sat on the ground as the grass and trees disappeared in an instant as if he was focusing his eyes. He was back outside the main alley way to the Hyuuga complex. He felt the heat rush on the side of his face where he'd been smacked. The Jounin slowly looked at the figure standing in front of him.

"H-Hiashi-Sama?" His uncle didn't look angry despite having hit the long haired Jounin. Usually the elder Hyuuga would only show violence in rage.

But his paler eyes had this incomprehensible look behind them.

"Neji, what is the meaning of you current state? Where have you been?" His uncle waited for an answer and could see the thought trail behind his nephew's eyes. Neji stood shakily, hands twitching as he looked around to make sure he was really where he was.

"Neji!" The shouting brought the Jounin back from his confused condition.

"I-I'm sorry, I must have-" Neji stopped when his uncle held his hand up. Hiashi looked his nephew once over; it was obvious he was on edge. Hiashi had known this the night Neji returned from the hospital, he wasn't the head of the family for show.

"Where are your Hyuuga robes?"

"They were torn badly on my last mission; Hinata-Sama is hemming them for me." The shinobi spoke softly and respectfully to his uncle. He tried to present himself in a more formal fashion but the shivers that ran up his spine kept grabbing his attention.

He'd seen that man again, and he'd looked so real.

"And why do I see you starring off into space in the middle of the road from the yard?" Hiashi's voice was stern but had a tint of what Neji placed as concern.

"I-I…I don't know…" The younger Hyuuga bowed his head slightly, not wanting to met the icy gaze of his guardian.

"What happened on that mission you've just returned from? You have been acting strange." Neji did not want to say anything, he knew that Hiashi was the one person that would be able to get it out of him with little struggle.

"I… don't wish to tell you." The younger Hyuuga braced to be smacked for insubordination but it never came. He glanced but at his elder. Hiashi was staring at him with a face that told the Jounin he was thinking. The older man sighed and folded his hands in his robes.

"You are free to go, but I want you to go straight to the complex and get something to eat."

Neji blinked a bit surprised. Hiashi had never let anything go before. The elder Hyuuga walked away leaving the Jounin trying to understand the older Hyuuga's abnormal behavior.

#

Might Gai awoke to various poundings on his door. The older man yawned and glanced at the clock. It was almost two o'clock in the morning, not that he wasn't up for a little early morning training but he didn't know anyone who'd come to his door this early.

He unlocked the door and it swung open from the outside. There stood a panting and worried looking Rock Lee.

"Gai-sensei, I'm so sorry to wake you from your rest but I need to ask you something!" The younger version of Gai said respectfully and louder than the aging man would've liked this early.

"Of course, my youthful student." He returned the other with his famous sparkle grin.

"Why did you send me to go search for Neji?" Lee asked as his face was crushed in this saddened, worried way.

Gai raised his thick eyebrows before sighing darkly.

He remembered his conversation with the young Hyuuga and after the brunette had left that teacher had tracked down his star pupil.

He'd known for a while of Lee's feelings towards the other male member of their old group. At first Gai thought it was the same rival-friendship relation that he and Kakashi had, but the way Lee carried himself around the other Jounin was different. Lee way much more protective and caring even though Neji ignored him most of the time.

He'd told Lee that the Neji was just stressed out because of the mission and need someone to talk to but would never ask for help it was just how Neji was. Which wasn't a lie; it just wasn't the whole truth. He knew that Lee was going to be the most likely choice for Neji to vent to, and it would give his love-struck student a chance to get closer to the Hyuuga.

The older man had been silent for a few moments as he recollected his thoughts.

"Because Neji needs someone right now…"

"But why? You know what's making him act like this, right?" Lee asked angrily. Gai could see in his pupil's eyes that something had happened.

"I do but I've been sworn to secrecy by the Hokage." Might Gai wasn't all too surprised when Lee latched on to his shirt and pulled him closer, fury seeping from the smaller version of himself.

"Then why? Why are you trying to get me figure it out?" Lee had known his teacher for as long as he could remember and he knew when Gai was planning things.

The older man smiled sadly and removed his student's hands from his shirt. He held them for a moment squeezing them with a parent's love. He met the other green lover's eyes and almost whispered.

"Neji was hurt in a very bad way. A way that many people never fully recover from. I've known a few people in my years that have been killed in missions because the mental injuries they received." Gai paused for a moment to see if Lee was grasping the seriousness.

"He told me he was tortured. But Neji would never be hurt so bad by being beaten, his pride would suffer but not like this."

"Lee-"

"What could've happened that would make a Hyuuga cave under such pressure. The Hyuuga are known for being able to take their secrets to the grave, so they are accustomed to torture. Damn it, Neji said a Hyuuga should rather die than be broken! "

Lee had raised his voice and was once again panting from being overly frantic. Gai starred at his student and spoke slowly and softly. "Why don't you come in and get some rest, we can talk more- "

"I saw his neck." Gai froze and saw the panic flash in Lee by his reaction.

"He looked like he'd been bitten and scratched by an animal! What the hell kind of torture is that!?"

His teacher wore a sadden look in his eyes and the two stood in silence for a few moments.

Gai looked over at Lee before back away a bit, grabbing his door to close it. He replied tiredly. "Neji asked me not to interfere, but Lee I know you're smart enough to piece it together in your head. You just don't want to get to the conclusion that's starring you right in the face."

Lee's brow dipped as he knew what his teacher was trying to tell him.

"You're beginning to see the ugly part of the world, maybe too much too quickly. But that is the job of Shinobi, to face the bad things so others can live peacefully. Never forget that you are a shinobi, a protector."

The older man's face disappeared as the door closed.

Lee felt the cold night air whip at his face as he starred at his mentor's door.

#

Neji hadn't dreamed at all. He felt the time pass so quickly almost as if he'd only slept a few moments. He sat up on his futon slowly, his muscles felt sore and tender. The Hyuuga stretched them a bit before seeing his chest was bare and had been rebadged.

Panic filled his stomach as he made the connection that someone had to have seen the marks. He turned to see a set of new white Hyuuga robes laid out of the table. He thought it'd had been Hinata but when he picked up the piece of paper that was next to the robes, he found he was wrong.

"**You're strong but you're still my little nephew. Release is not shameful." **

Neji read the note aloud softly. His stomach tightened and he gulped, he knew Hiashi was able to find out; he must've done it quietly for the younger man's sake.

A bottle caught the Jounin's attention. It wasn't labeled but there was another note under it. The Hyuuga lifted the white porcine bottle in his hand and read the second note.

"_This will help you calm down if it gets too hard. Do not abuse it." _

Neji didn't quite recognize the handwriting at first but it did look awfully familiar.

A knocking on his door alerted Neji to his half naked appearance and the view of his bandages. He grabbed one of his, now many, navy blue, shinobi undershirts. Putting it on before sliding his door open to see Hinata.

She was in her shinobi uniform and had a bag over her shoulders.

"Heading out, Hinata-Sama?" Neji asked as he gave her a polite nod. He felt a tug of anxiety.

"Y-Yes, I wanted to see you before I leave." She was smiling; the older Hyuuga felt a bit relaxed as he looked at his young cousin. She really was a pretty girl.

"I hope everything goes well." The older Hyuuga let just a pull of a smile reach his lips. The girl saw this and brightened even more.

"Of course, please enjoy the rest of your time off, Neji-Nii-san." The girl turned to leave and Neji felt his chest clamp shut.

His breath left his lungs and his sides burned. He groaned silently so he didn't alert the girl walking away. He slammed his door a little roughly and locked it.

This sensation was a new one. Every little movement hurt as if he could feel the wounds like they were brand new. He panted shallowly, sweat forming on his face. The conversation between him and Gai entered his head.

"_Neji, what would you have done if you were in my position and Hinata-Chan was in yours?!"_

The words pounded against his chest and the Hyuuga realized he was having a panic attack. He tried to calm his raising heart rate but the mere thought of his sister figure being hurt anywhere close to how he was made the Jounin physically sick.

Then there was the rage.

Lavender eyes darken as Neji lost control of his emotion.

"Why!?" he yelled, most likely alerting the rest of the complex. His fist crushing into the wall before he released a surge of chakra, so much that his vision was blurred by the blue energy leaving his charka points on his hand.

He felt his eyes sting as he hated himself for being weak. The horrible self-loathing that attacked his conscious made his head hurt. He grunted in fury as he hit his wall again with the other hand, making a torso sized crater in it.

He pushed the dresser closest to him and had it come down with a crash.

The echoing rhythm in his head dulled the fire and the Jounin calmed down. He breathed heavily as he regained control over himself. His eyes scanned the wall and then returned to look at his shaking hands.

"You're losing control, Nephew." Neji turned to the voice but knew it was his uncle before his eyes would focus on the older man.

"I-I don't understand? Do you know why I'm acting so strange?" The Hyuuga used an informal tone, because of his mind state, which he would never use for Hiashi.

"Strange is not the right word, you're scared."

The words from his uncle hung in the suddenly hot air in the younger long haired brunette's room. Neji gulped and felt that familiar anxiety.

"How do I make it stop?"

"Face your problem. Recall everything that happened and recognize that it is the past." His uncle's simple instructions were not that simple to Neji.

"When I do, I lose touch with my conscious…" Neji muttered, eyes glaring at the ground. He was really messed up. This was not the way Neji Hyuuga acted. Neji did not lose his temper; he didn't act like a crazy person and lose touch with reality.

"Then tell someone what happened, tell your story so you can stay focused." Hiashi's words became harsh and Neji recalled Gai saying something similar.

The two men stood Neji's now messy room and let the silence sink in. The Jounin knew that Hiashi would never give fake advice and that it would be foolish to not listen to the elder Hyuuga.

"Will…will I get back to normal?" Neji's light lavender eyes met his uncle's paler ones.

"Hopefully…" Hiashi had a bit of a smile curve on his hard face. The elder turned closing Neji's door and spoke from the other side. "You'll be better than normal."

#

Lee hadn't slept; he'd stayed outside of the wall. Giving the gate guards an excuse he was going for an early morning run. Seeing it was Rock Lee they hadn't found it strange.

The green loving ninja laid in the crater he'd made in his wrath. The surrounding trees were much worse; some had even collapsed and fallen down. His knuckles were bloody and had soaked through the make shift protection. He'd wrapped them in a bit of extra bandage he happened to have on him but it hadn't helped much. He sighed and starred at the early morning sky. It was clear, not a cloud in sight. There was no wind and it was relatively warm. Rock Lee breathed in, smelling the fragrance of summer slipping into the forest.

Lee lifted his hand to look at the dried blood that ran down his arm. His usually happy round eyes were slits and red from his hysterical crying. He cried all the time, mostly from over excitement with Gai. But last night the tears were fueled by anger and sadness. The chunin closed his sore eyes and relaxed against the abused ground.

Why hadn't he seen it sooner? Neji gave off the signs, not wanting to stand close to others, the fear of being touched. Rock Lee cringed as he drove his palms into his eyes to stop them from crying again.

He'd wished Neji would've told him but he knew that the Hyuuga could never admit something like that.

The tears were hot on Lee's cheeks. He didn't sob like he had the night before; he'd been screaming and yelling as he beat everything around him. Rock Lee sat up slowly, wiping his face on his sleeve. His poor clothes were covered in dirt and had been torn or ripped at some point in his blind rage.

"Lee!" A feminine voice called out from the surrounding forest.

The green lover recognized Tenten as the girl got closer. He wiped his face again and smiled cheerfully. "Good morning, my youthful teammate!"

Tenten smiled as she made her way through an entrance in the neighboring brush. Her face was happy but she had an underlying sadness as she took in the situation around her.

"Did something happen?" Her voice was soft and gentle, filled with concern as she came and squatted down next to the crater Lee was in.

The other chunin fell silent and starred at his hands. The panda bun haired girl tilted her head giving her teammate a warmhearted smile.

"Is it about Neji?" Lee tensed at the mention of the jounin's name.

"He…" Rock Lee clenched his sore fists and glared at them. Speaking softly as if he was only talking to himself. "I believe he has PTSD or something similar…"

Tenten's brown eyes widened and she waved her hand comically. "You're joking; Neji's too hard headed-"

"He accidently attacked Gai-sensei."

The sound of birds flying from the trees entered the air.

"…I see…" The girl looked away distressingly. She too had seen the change in Neji. Even if the Hyuuga thought he could hide it, those closest to him could tell something was amiss.

"What are you going to do?" The girl asked as she looked back at Lee and leaned over the beaten ground a little. Rock Lee sent a girl a confused look.

"What do you mean, what am I supposed to do?"

"Lee!" The panda girl's yell made more birds fly. The green loving ninja blinked confused at his female teammate's anger.

"W-What?"

Tenten huffed annoyed and groaned a bit. "Seriously?"

She held an accusing finger towards Lee.

"You can get closer to Neji, He needs a shoulder to lean on and you could be that shoulder! Haven't you read any kind of romance novel!?" Tenten explained slightly aggravated.

Lee blushed a bit. Tenten and Gai were the only one who knew about his feelings for the Hyuuga and he planned to keep it that way. He understood that Neji wasn't the type of person that would voluntarily be in a relationship, much less with a man.

But Neji had let Lee kiss him.

The green loving shinobi hid his blushing face as he recalled the scene, the barely visible pink of Neji's pale cheeks; the half lidded lavender eyes and the way the Hyuuga smelled like green tea. Then how it'd turn sour when Lee had over stepped his luck.

The man groaned to himself and clenched his fists. "But Neji's angry at me now…"

"What'd you do? Kiss him or something?" Tenten joked but then was shut up by the look Lee gave her.

"What!" More birds.

#

The Hyuuga followed Shizune into the large office. Tsunade looked up from her lunch annoyed. "What do you want, Neji? I'm busy. I mean even if I am Hokage, can't I have ten minutes to myself."

The older woman complained as Shizune sent Neji a sympathetic look for her superior's behavior.

"Hokage-Sama." Lavender eyes starred at the ground with a tension behind them.

"Yes?" Tsunade lighten up a bit and remembered that she needed to be a bit gentler with the young Hyuuga shinobi.

"I request that because I seem to have become a hazard to those around me, that I see a professional about my current state." Neji dug his nails into the palms of his hands. He felt so damn worthless, having to ask for help with something he should be able to take care of himself.

"…Of course" Tsunade was a bit surprised. Neji never asked like this, he always did what he was asked and never complained. The Hyuuga never burdened anyone with what was happening with him.

Shizune and the blonde woman looked at each other.

"How soon do you want to leave?" Shizune asked politely, her usual calm smile and Tonton at her feet.

"Leave?" Neji repeated as if the word was in a different language.

"Well yes, the only professional PTSD specialist is over in a small town by the border of the land of Hot Springs. Unless you want to go to the land of Lighting." Shizune explained. She walked over to a shelf of scrolls and began looking for the correct one as Tsunade continued for her.

"It's a small healing town, full of hot springs and medical clinics. I've stopped through there a few times, a very nice place." The blonde woman tired to be positive but it was obvious how uncomfortable Neji was.

"PTSD?" Neji asked, looking over at Shizune, he couldn't met his superiors gaze.

"Yes, I've seen quite I few cases like yours in the past, it's a horrible thing, but it does happen. "

His lavender eyes still wouldn't meet her's and his fingers twitched at his sides.

The Hokage sighed and soften her voice, almost mother-like. "Neji."

The Hyuuga wanted to sink into the ground, now even the Hokage, the leader of the village was giving him sympathy. He felt worse than dirt and just so futile and pathetic.

"I know how stubborn you and the rest of the Hyuuga are, so I'm very proud that you've come and looked for help." She tried to lighten the Hyuuga's gloomy attitude. Neji glared to the side of the room, careful not to disrespect his Hokage.

"I don't want pity, Hokage-Sama."

"Neji, its concern not pity. You'd be wise to learn the difference." Tsunade regained her normal harsh tone.

"Those who care about you do not pity you, they're scared for you. They don't want you to wind up doing something stupid or worse! Do you have any idea how many people end up killing themselves because of PTSD?"

She huffed and fixed her hair a bit before looking over at the still brunette. Shizune looked between the two extremely stubborn shinobi with an awkward silence in the room. She handed her boss the scroll and Tsunade opened, clearly agitated.

"Alright, Hyuuga. Look here." She spread the map of the land of Hot Springs across her desk. She explained where the border of the land of Fire and Hot Springs met and where to cross as well as where to go after that.

"The town is fairly close to a small range of mountains so be careful not to waste time going through the mountains there are plenty of roads that lead into the town. It shouldn't be hard to find." As Tsunade continued talking Neji felt a weird sensation crawl under his skin. The two other people in the room were suddenly too close and he unconsciously stepped backwards.

A cold sweet ran over his chest and back. The images of his incident flash behind his eyes. He saw the rouge ninja standing around the room but they'd disappear before he could focus on them. Several voices began speaking around him. He couldn't place them but he could see the two women starring at him. Then the numbness came.

He could feel nothing, no heat or cold. Not even air or wind. He couldn't feel the tickling sensation of his hair on his cheeks or how he had the dull stiffness of his shoulders, but blissful nothing. He couldn't process thoughts; every time he tried his brain stopped him. Almost as if it wanted him to remain in the wonderful unfeeling state.

**#**

**!IMPORTANT PLEASE READ!**

**Okay, So I've finally got my new pen nibs from Amazon, (THANK YOU FOR TAKING 5EVER) Anyways, I'd love to know what some of your guys' favorite scene are as the story goes on. And I'd love to draw them for you. **

**Now keep in mind, I'm a junior in high school and I have a part-time job so I can't make a full length comic of this 100+ pages of LeeNeji-ness. (no matter how much I'd love to) **

**SO please, next time you review or PM me, just say, Hey, I'd love to see "this scene".**

**I was crap doodling some stuff from Chapter three so if you wanna see it just check my profile for my DA.**

**LOVE YOU GUYS, Ya'lls' messages made me so freaking happy you have no idea.**

**More reviews = quicker updates!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Ugh sorry this is taking so damn long. School's a bitch but I'm sure all of you know that well XD**

**I'm going for an advanced diploma so I all my classes have to be AP or IB. Let's just say working at McDonald's for the rest of my life might not be so bad if all this stupid work is gonna continue for the next five or six years. College is gonna suck balls!**

**Anyway, because y'all are so nice and sweet, I'm putting up a little bit of a larger chapter. LONGER REVIEWS MAKE ME VERY HAPPY! Love ya!**

#

Hanabi resisted the urge to cry as she quickly followed her father into the Hokage's building. The pure look of concern that had painted over her father scared her. The message ANBU had arrived outside the complex and asked to speak to Hiashi only.

Hanabi had been allowed to listen as she continued to training to take over after her father. But what she heard had made her wish she had waited outside.

Hiashi wore a hard look on his face, it was twisted with grief but he also had to maintain his composure. The images of the younger Hyuuga's wounds enter his head.

He knocked as he daughter's eyes were glossy and wet, threatening to pool over. He turned to her and whispered.

"Do not cry, you will have to face problems much worse than this. Do not dishonor Neji. He's sick, not dead." He sent a small reassuring smile but it disappeared as soon as it had shown itself.

Shizune opened the door to the small medical room; she bowed and sighed in relief as the two entered the room.

"We don't know what triggered him but he blacked out on us." She offered respectfully to the head of the Hyuuga clan. They walked over to Tsunade who was trying to speak to the dazed look Neji. Shizune shut and lock the door behind them.

"Ugh, He's completely out of it. I've seen people lock themselves out of their conscious but not like this." The Hokage groaned as she snapped her finger next to Neji's face. His blank lavender eyes stared straight ahead of him and his eyebrows twitched a bit. He seemed to try to focus on his uncle and cousin but to no avail.

"Neji-Nii-San…" Hanabi moved closer and remember her father's words. She sniffled and grabbed her brother-figure's hand.

"H-How do we knock him out of it?" She turned to the experience medical ninjas. Shizune turned to her mentor and waited for Tsunade to explain.

"With PTSD victims-" Surprising everyone Hanabi looked panicked and interrupted the Hokage.

"PTSD?!" Her voice rose just a bit above her normal tone but it still surprised everyone that the young girl had spoken out. Hiashi sighed and rubbed the top of her head a bit before returning his hand to his robes.

"Let the Hokage speak." She blushed in embarrassment at her father's words.

Tsunade chuckled a bit before continuing; remember to leave out as much as possible. "PTSD victims can sometimes go into this withdrawn state. It's the brain's way of protecting itself. When a memory or problem appears the conscious will turn itself off. The problem here is we don't know what triggered him."

The Hokage stopped talked and looked over at Hanabi who was thinking.

"What do you mean trigger?" Hiashi asked walking in front of his nephew; he'd seen that bemused over look before. When he'd found Neji outside the Hyuuga complex.

"Well it's something that makes the brain protects itself. Sometimes words or images can trigger these kinds of reactions." Shizune explained as the three women in the room watched as Hiashi left his sleeve fall and raised his hand into the air.

Then with a gasp from Hanabi and Shizune, Hiashi brought his hand down on Neji's cheek and jerked the young jounin's face to the side.

"Neji Hyuuga, stop this nonsense at once." The head of the clan's voice was demanding as he stared down at his nephew.

To Tsunade's surprise Neji blinked confused. His eyes focused and he looked around the room. His voice crack so he cleared his throat he before trying again.

"What happened?"

After Tsunade explained again what she had had just told Hanabi and Hiashi, Shizune escorted the young girl out of the room so the other two could talk.

"Do you know what made you panic?" Hiashi asked his voice still bordering anger.

Neji shook his head and stared at his hands. "I just felt really numb and I couldn't think of anything."

He looked over to Tsunade and remembered "We were talking about my trip and then I felt really weird when…"

The two adults waited as Neji's eyebrows arched into a look of distasteful thought. "I noticed how close we were to me and I lost it…"

Was the Hyuuga becoming scarred of people being close to him? But Lee had be extremely close to him for almost a whole day…so what was it?

The adults let the younger Hyuuga ponder as Hiashi suddenly darkened with annoyance.

"Hokage, what is this about a 'trip'?" Tsunade could tell the elder was angry and wanted to pick a fight.

She met his frustration half way and explained with a hand on her curvy hips. "I was going to send him to a specialist by his own request."

"Where was he going?" The older asked, lightening a bit after hearing Neji had asked. It surprised him as well that his nephew was listening to his advice.

"Hot Springs country."

"That's two days from here for a healthy and well rested shinobi. He is in no condition to travel that far, let alone by himself."

As the two bickered back and forth, Neji became annoyed. He soon regained his pride and spoke a little loudly. "This is my decision, it has nothing to do with the either of you so I don't know why you're fighting over it."

Hiashi sent his nephew a look. "As long as you are a Hyuuga it **is** my business, Nephew."

The younger brunette's mouth twitched as he realized how disobedient he'd sounded. Tsunade groaned and crossed her arms.

"I can assign a ninja to escort him if that'd make you happy." The woman's suggestion made Neji freeze. He couldn't let anyone else know.

"I refuse." Neji barked, the embarrassment digging a hole into his head. Why couldn't everyone just let him deal with his own problems? He didn't want their help.

The long haired brunette became unusually angry; the surge of rage just kept pumping.

"It's my own life, let me live it! Stop meddling in my business!" Neji stood up and pushed past his elders and left the room, fuming. He barely looked at Hanabi or Shizune with their confused expressions.

He walked quickly and furiously out of the large red building. He threw open the large wooden doors and began running. He infused chakra into the soles of his feet so as he jumped; it lifted him high onto the roofs. He ran across the tiled roof and various buildings, he didn't quite know where he was going but he wanted to get away from his uncle and the Hokage as fast as possible.

He got some strange looks from some of the ninja who knew him but he ignored them, usually he would've acted bitterly and scolding them for starring but he had this heat that filled his gut.

It wouldn't subside as he breathed heavily; he hadn't run or trained since before the mission and it was clear his muscles had become tight. The Hyuuga realized how wore out his healing body was. He jumped down as he reached the gates of the village, slowing to a jog but not stopping.

The gate guards thought nothing of it as several people entered and left the village.

Neji ran into the dense forest brush, careful not to fall or trip as the sweat began to for on his brow and under his headband.

Then the mortification hit him like a truck, sending him flying on his feet.

He'd acted like an adolescent child in front of the two most high ranking people he knew. He'd lost control over something stupid and he could barely even control himself now.

The Hyuuga jumped over a fallen tree and continued spiriting with all his speed. He could've gone faster had he used charka but he couldn't think straight because of all the degrading acts he'd committed.

Then as if he'd hit a mountain Neji ran into something that stopped him with such force he knock the obstacle down and fell past it, hitting the ground and rolling a bit before hitting the truck of a tree and stopped with a sharp pain in his ribs.

Neji hissed as his sensitive wounds sizzled like they were on fire; his sweat only worsened the sensation as if it had burned open sores. He coughed a bit and steadied his breathing as he slowly rolled onto his hands and knees and looked up at what he'd run into.

Lavender eyes widened to see Rock Lee quite winded and on the ground, rubbing the back of his head. The green-loving shinobi sat up and turned to look at his attacker and wore the same expression as Neji.

"N-Neji?" Lee was confused as he began to stand up.

The Hyuuga remembered the night before and how Lee knew everything now, he knew about his shameful and fragile state. Much besides the fact that they had kissed for a good five minutes or so, In front of his father's grave.

No sooner had Neji jumped up to run, Lee was on him. The Chunin wrapped his tan, warm arms around the fleeing Hyuuga and sent both of them to the ground in a crash. Rock Lee had made sure to land on his side as not to fall on top of the pale Jounin.

Neji once again had the air knock from his lungs and his rib cage ached with a dull throb. He glared with lavender eyes at the green-lover who was still wrapped around his torso.

"Lee, as your superior, I demand you release me now!" The Hyuuga pulled again the iron grip of the Taijutsu specialist. His emotions were now past the point of controlling and Neji thrashed around as if he was throwing a temper tantrum.

"Neji, Calm down!" Lee yelled and grunted as the other man elbowed him harshly. But when Neji noticed the taller shinobi wasn't loosening his grip, the brunette did calm down a bit and sat there waiting. The two lay for a moment catching their breath and relaxing after all the excitement that'd happened over a span of a minute.

Lee spoke first.

"What the hell just happened?"

Neji replied bitterly and analytically. "I ran into you at about twenty miles per hour and then you tackled me for no reason."

"You were running away." Lee rolled his eyes though Neji couldn't see it because of their position.

The two were quiet for a bit. The rustling of trees and wind was the only thing that could be heard besides the soft breathing of the two men.

"I'm sorry about last night…" Lee whispered softly against Neji's back. He placed his forehead against the Hyuuga's back and nudged into the Jounin's shoulder blades. Neji felt the tightening in his chest but recognized it as a somewhat welcome one.

"Why?" Neji asked in a monotonic voice as if to sound uninterested.

"Because I invaded your personal space without your permission." Lee continued a bit lighter in his tone not as gloomy.

Neji sighed aggravated, it wasn't like it'd been the first time Lee'd been too close for comfort. The Hyuuga relax his expression and starred at the swaying leafs. He felt the arms around his upper body loosen but not completely let go. Lee moved the arm on top to cross over to the Hyuuga's shoulder.

The Jounin wasn't sure if he should still be angry with the chunin or terrified that Lee knew his secret. His Hyuuga pride kicked in and it refused to let him show any weakness.

"Lee, why did you kiss me?" Now it was Neji's turn to control the conversation.

The Chunin tensed and refused to speak. The brunette groaned and let his head lay on the ground, he shut his eyes and remember the embarrassing moments in the Hokage's office. Neji knew he'd never be able to live down the shame and self loathing he felt for being so disobedient.

How could he have been so damn immature? Neji Hyuuga never lost control but yet he couldn't seem to manage anything lately.

Did he really have a problem?

Neji glared at the ground and contemplated this. He was known for his extraordinary leadership skills and part of being a leader meant being able to accept defeat. The long haired brunette wore a bit of a confused face as he zoned out in thought.

Was he making a mistake? Wasn't he doing the opposite if what he would've done if they'd been in battle?

Neji felt the wave of an unfamiliar feeling. It wasn't quite shame, but it felt similar.

It was pure mental and emotional exhaustion.

"Damn it." The Hyuuga cursed as he hid his face in Lee's tan muscular arm. He was just so tired of feeling like crap. He just wanted to be normal again.

Rock Lee could see the workings of Neji brain as the Hyuuga cringed in a mixture of anger and sorrow. The bowl haired man hugged the long haired brunette close to him and held him tightly. Neji continued to curse and swear as he squeezed his lavender eyes shut.

"Neji?"

"What." A croak came from the Hyuuga; He gripped his fingers into Lee's skin.

"It's okay." Lee brought his other arm to rub the head of the Branch family member. He slowly moved his hand down to the base of Neji's neck, and then brought it back up to repeat. The Hyuuga's arms shook a bit as Neji tried to restrain himself.

"I'm an idiot." Neji sobbed into Rock Lee's arm and hid his face. He couldn't remember the last time he'd really, truly cried. Lee flinched a bit as he felt the warm wet sensation touch his arm. A giant hand seemed to wrap around his chest and squeeze it shut.

"No, you're not." The bowl haired man replied with a shaken voice. Never had Neji cried in front of him before. There had been the incident in the village but the Hyuuga had been half delirious. Lee couldn't fathom the utter happiness he felt, that Neji would choose him to be his shoulder to lean on.

"I've been acting like a child." Neji grumbled through rough tears. He didn't want pity; he hated how Rock Lee treated him so kindly. He felt as if he needed someone to yell at him or scold him. He lifted his head to glare at Lee. He turned so the two of them were facing each other. The two locked eyes and both men froze.

The Hyuuga blinked away the warm water blocking his vision. The gaze coming from the Chunin's black orbs caught him and held him still. He felt the warmth of Lee's skin all at once and realized just how close they really were. They'd been closely hugging for a few minutes now. Neji didn't quite understand why he was so comfortable with Lee touching him but in the spur of the moment he didn't really care.

"Neji" That loud, husky tone made Neji gulp as he saw that Lee was also affected by their little starring contest. The Hyuuga lifted a hand to wipe his cheeks but Lee beat him to it. The green spandex loving shinobi carefully and gently ran his scar covered fingers over Neji's softer and paler skin.

The Hyuuga felt the strangest urge he'd probably had in his entire life. He wanted to kiss Rock Lee.

And he did, surprising Lee very much. Neji crushed their lips together, tears still running down his cheeks. After everything that'd happened to him in the last week he just wanted the stress to disappear. For the moments when he connected himself to Lee it did and he felt so damned relieved.

Neji sucked on the other man's lips and soon felt Lee kissing back even more passionately. Rock Lee was in pure heaven, to think Neji would, first, cry in front of him but then to kiss him, Lee thought he was dreaming. And like hell he wanted to wake up anytime soon.

The tanner man remembered for an instant that Neji was probably very nervous being intimate. Instead of moving to smother Neji he rolled them both over so he lay on his back and Neji on his chest, just like before in the grave yard.

Neji paid no mind he was so focused on the taste of Lee's mouth and how strange it was kissing one of his closest and only friends. He'd known Lee almost his whole life and now they were doing something lovers did.

Lee broke the kiss and rubbed his hand up the sides of Neji's waist. He saw Neji'd stopped crying on the tear-trail marks remained. He lifted his neck off the ground and kissed the cheek bones of the Hyuuga. Neji closed his now sore eyes and enjoy the tender touch of his friend.

"You're in love with me." It wasn't a question.

Lee slowly placed his head against the grass and dirt. He inhaled the afternoon breeze and asked the Hyuuga, meeting lavender eyes with dark charcoal ones. "Does it bother you?"

Neji broke their gaze and turned he face towards the trees. Lee had indirectly just admitted his affection and the Hyuuga didn't know what to say. Did it bother him? He didn't feel anything bad just confusion.

"It does not, But since when?" The Hyuuga glance back to Lee's starring eyes. He sat up a bit. It was quite awkward he didn't know where it was appropriate to place himself on top of Lee. He ended up using his legs to lift him up so he didn't place his entire weight on top of Lee.

"I'd always thought you were pretty." Lee smiled his normal, goofy smile and Neji glared. He flicked the Chunin's nose with chakra.

"Don't call a man 'Pretty'."

Lee inhaled quickly at the surge of charka and rubbed his nose before returning his hand to Neji's waist. He sat in thought and figured Neji wanted the truth.

"Remember back when I had broken my arm and leg?" Neji blinked a bit surprised.

"That was years ago, you're telling me you've kept this to yourself for that long?"

Lee hummed in thought. "Kind of. I still liked Sakura-Chan, but when she and I were going see the group of you off at the gate, when you all were trying to bring Sasuke back. She cried for him and I realized she would never love me the way she loved him."

Neji had always thought Lee's over-dramatic behavior was childish and his displays of emotions were a bit strange but now he could understand that there was a lot of suffering behind the happy face of the green loving idiot. He'd nursed his love for the pink haired girl when she clearly was in love with someone else and he still was able to smile in front of her.

"Well? You still haven't answered me." The Hyuuga wanted to hear the answer even though he knew he was acting a bit immature.

Lee chuckled in his happier tone of voice. "I'm getting there."

He stopped for a moment and his facial expression darkened. "I had left to help you and Naruto-kun a little while after you guys left. After the fighting was all done and I was admitted to the hospital again. That's when I realized I was in love with you, Neji."

The Hyuuga felt the words ring in his ears and he asked. "How?"

Lee sat up and watched Neji slide into his lap as he crossed his legs. He leaned back on his hand, his head barely inches away from the other man's. He spoke a bit softer but he was unable to contain his joy having Neji not rejecting him.

"I'd heard you'd been admitted as well and they told me that you were most likely not going to make it. I broke down and thought how dull my life would be without my best friend and rival in it. And then I thought 'If I had to choose between Neji and Sakura-Chan, who couldn't I live without?' and I decided I'd rather be alone my whole life then have to live without you. That's how I knew I had fallen for you."

The Hyuuga let the story stick itself in his head. He gulped and felt a welcomed heat enter his cheeks. Neji Hyuuga doesn't blush; it was just a warm flush.

"I'm not quite sure what this means now…" Neji had never had a crush on anyone nor had anyone ever told him they like him. Lee blushed a deep tint and said quickly.

"I never expected to be able to tell you so... I'm fine if you don't want to change anything."

Neji frowned a bit a spoke in a scolding tone. "Lee, You can't just live with all these feeling trapped inside, that's not fair to you."

The Hyuuga flinched and realized what'd he'd just said. Was he being a hypocrite?

Lee softly rubbed the side of Neji's arm. He asked gently not wanting to scare the long haired brunette. "Neji? You alright?"

"Hn? Oh, yes. I just thought of something." Neji tried to shake the strange tightening feeling he had in his chest. Shouldn't he just get all this grief off his chest?

"Lee?"

"Yeah." The green loving shinobi slowly wrapped his arms around Neji's waist, bringing them closer in a kind of intimate hug. He looked up into the lavender eyes, still brimmed with little irritated veins from his crying.

"I'm going to go to Hot Springs country, and Tsunade-Sama is going to choose an escort for me." Neji said in a tone that made it sound like an offering. He placed his hands on top of Lee's shoulders; he didn't really know what else to do with them. Lee was obviously trying to affectionate but Neji kept zoning out and felt these feather-like touches run across his skin.

"You want me to escort you?" Lee said a bit too happy. His usual ear to ear grin flashed. He became extremely happy, as if all his dreams were coming true. Neji really truly trusted him.

The Hyuuga raised an eyebrow with a bit of a smile on his lips, he always found it funny when little things could make Lee so over ecstatic. Maybe a little too ecstatic.

Neji tensed as the Chunin brought him into a tight hug, he face pressed against Lee's shoulder, his pupils dilated.

#

He dug his nails into the damp dirt. His back curled as he bit his tongue to keep quiet.

_Don't you dare cry out, you hear me!_

He yelled inside his head. His shoulders were so sore, the constant movement and changing of position had made them tired.

"How you doing, maiden?" The blood boiled under Neji's skin, He refused to lose to this monster. The rouge ninja just chuckled and continued with his business. His hands trailed the Hyuuga's back, the once pale spotless skin was now covered in bits of blood and dirt, littered by bruises and bite marks.

He grabbed the shinobi by the waist and pulled him into a sitting position. Neji glared through his blindfold, his tied hands intertwining tightly. The other man's fingers dug into his sides and he moved rougher.

Damn it, why was he so weak?

Neji felt those shivers run up his back. He grinded his teeth as everything got that much hotter.

"Ah, finally. You're very stubborn." The leader's voice was low and close to his ear, His tongue tracing the crooks of Neji's neck, before placing his teeth in a spot that hadn't been terribly bruises yet and bit down.

Neji tried to jerk his neck away but it made the man bite harder, He flexed his arms as the pain stopped but the dull throb pounded in his head.

#

He starred his hands, they weren't tied with the mysterious black clothe. He was panting pretty hard.

He gulped as his breath came quickly. He looked around to find out where he was. He'd blacked out again. Why couldn't he control himself?

He grabbed fistful of his long hair and groaned in frustration.

_Damn it!_

"Neji, are you okay?" Lee voice made the Hyuuga shoot his head up. He could see the other was holding his arm; his face looked a bit swollen on the right side.

"Shit." Neji cursed as he checked his internal chakra, there was indeed a bit gone. He'd attacked Lee.

"Shit!" He repeated as the grief and shame drowned his mind. He attacked his best friend, how could he? The one person he trusted most.

Did Neji trust Lee the most? Was that why he was so upset?

"I'm…so sorry, Lee." He glared at the ground as he bowed, keeping his head down.

Lee raised his eyebrows and walked over. He raised his hand in the air but didn't touch the Hyuuga.

"No, it's alright. I shouldn't have been so informal, knowing you're fragile." He was caught off guard by the Hyuuga's apology. When he'd use Air Palm to push Lee off him, it'd startled him but when Neji actually began to attack him, he'd become concerned.

"More importantly, are you alright?" Lee kneeled down so he could look at the Jounin's face.

"I'm fine…" Neji feel onto his knees and moved his hair from his face. He breathed deeply, calming down.

"I am still sorry for attacking you."

"Nothing worse than when we train." Lee smiled and held his hand out for Neji to grab.

The Hyuuga would let Lee to be closer to him. He felt it wrong to act completely normal after what the Chunin had confessed to him. He placed his hand in the green-lover's.

Lee helped Neji to his feet and asked looking up and the setting sun. "Did you want to get something to eat?"

"I'm not really hungry." Neji said as he removed his hand from Lee's. The images from his attacking still lingered in his head, making him feel queasy.

"Can I at least walk you home?"

"What about your arm? Did I hurt it?" Neji knew Lee just wanted to spend more time together but he felt conflicted a bit at whether to let Lee inside his head or not.

"Nothing a night of rest won't fix." The chunin kept his smile but he knew Neji was hinting at he wanted to be alone.

"Can I walk with you back to the village?"

"I suppose." Neji brushed some dirt from his clothing as they began walking.

Lee walked next to Neji starting some small conversation, cracking the joints in his arm as they walked, loosening them.

He'd known Neji had PTSD but he didn't really know what that meant. He'd never met someone with PTSD. When Neji'd first attacked him, he thought he'd just done something wrong. But as Neji continued to fight him he could see Neji wasn't all there.

Was Neji always going to be like this? Was he going to fear physical contact for the rest of his life?

"Hey, Lee." Neji slowed their walking as the gate came into view through the forest. Lee stopped and looked over at Neji.

"I really appreciate you putting up with me right now. I'm not quite feeling like my usual self. I just wanted to thank you for listening the other night and I'm honored to be the person you hold so dearly."

Neji's formal tone was there but you could hear the hints of serenity between the lines. Lee smiled; his eyes lowering a bit as he softly intertwined their fingers.

"You're welcome." Neji was hooked in the gaze behind Lee's eyes. He moved himself a bit closer to the Chunin and gave a bit of a nod. Their hands held each other as the sun's light receded from the horizon.

"May I kiss you?"

Neji pinched the swollen check of the green-lover. "Must you ask every time?"

Lee chuckled at the slightly flushed look on the Hyuuga's face.

He brought their intertwined hands up and softly kissed the top of Neji's knuckles. He kept the smile on his face as he slowly moved closer to Neji's face. Making sure not to startle him in any way. He kissed the Hyuuga's cheek bone, then the top of his nose and finally he pressed their lips together.

Neji felt the heat enter his chest as his back wanted to give out. Their lips softly sucked on each other, Neji's fingers tightened in Lee's hand as he moved to press against the Chunin's chest. The warmth and loving feeling was like a drug, once he'd had it once he didn't want to let it go. He was already hooked.

"Excuse me."

A deep tone make Neji jump up and pull away from Lee. His face the look of pure embarrassment as he faced his uncle standing there, one hand under his yukata and the other carrying a lantern. The familiar look of anger made Neji gulp.

"U-Uncle, What are you doing out here?" Neji's voice changed into his formal tone with a bit of a shrill panic adding into it. He glanced back at Lee who looked like he'd seen the dead come back to life. He stood slightly next to Neji, sweat running down his face.

"More importantly, what are you doing outside the village? Especially after the little outburst you gave earlier. " Hiashi gave his nephew a look that told him he'd question him later. In an instant the head of the Hyuuga turned and glared at Lee.

"You're that Might Gai's student, correct?" Lee nodded quickly.

"Might I ask why my nephew is so dirty?"

Hiashi motion to the dirt that covered the both of them from their previous kiss in the forest. Neji wanted to die as Hiashi looked him up and down then turned back to Lee.

The two younger men stayed dead silent as Hiashi starred them both down. Neji's finger gripped the bottom of his shirt as he serious and truthfully wanted to sink into the ground and die.

"I hope you'll return him home safely, Get him something to eat while you at it. He looks like he going to pass out. " Hiashi let his anger disappear and turned back and walked towards the gate, the lantern light faded as he walked away.

As Hiashi's back was far enough away Rock Lee turned to look over at the Jounin.

"How'd his know we were out here?" Lee hissed quietly, on the break of laughing in a kind of panic endued humor.

"He's a Hyuuga, The Byakugan." Neji hissed back, not find the situation as funny as Lee did. He felt so tired and stressed even more. His uncle, and the leader of his family, just found him kissing his teammate.

_Could the day just be over now?_

"Oh right. Sorry, that must have been awkward for you." Lee began laughing. "I thought he was gonna kill me."

Neji sighed aggravated at Lee's careless attitude. He looked over towards the gate to see his uncle almost completely out of view. He'd snuck right up on them without the Hyuuga even realizing.

"You up to go grab something to eat now?" Lee asked, still laughing a bit. Neji sent him a look that made him stop.

"I suppose."

#

Hiashi sighed before knocking on the Hokage's door, one of the side branch members that'd come with to the large red build took the lantern from him. Shizune opened the door and brightened.

"Hiashi-Sama, Please come in." He bowed slightly and entered the office. His hands tucked themselves into his sleeves.

"I found him, he's fine." He walked over to the desk and saw the piles of paperwork and scrolls. Tsunade downed a cup of sake before exhaling.

"Jeez, He's never yelled in here before. At Naruto a few times but never in front of me. "She commentated before reached for the bottle again; Shizune quickly grabbed it and set away from her superior.

"Bitch" Tsunade grumbled before clearing a bit of room on her desk.

"Anyway, are you sure you want to pay for an escort, I mean we both saw the way Neji reacted."

She grabbed a smaller stack of papers and set them in front of Hiashi. He simply removed his hand from his sleeve and held it out for the pen. Tsunade sighed and handed it to him.

As Hiashi filled out the paper work he asked casually "So when was the head medical ninja going to inform the family?"

"Neji had requested that the situation be kept confidential."

"He is still a child and under my watch!" Hiashi snapped at the woman, His pale lavender eyes in a glare.

"Hiashi, He's 19 now, He's seen more horrors than most people his age have. His generation is the one that has to deal with some of the most devastating events. I mean the destruction of the Uchiha and the Nine-tails' incidents to name a few. I can hardly call one of my best Jounin a child." Tsunade sat back in her chair and met his glare until he returned to the paperwork.

The man reached the end and sent a sack of coins on the table. He didn't speak for a moment as he and the Hokage exchanged not-so-friendly looks. But eventually he spoke, his formal, proud Hyuuga tone back.

"This should cover the journey there and back as well as Neji's expenses. It's been a pleasure speaking with you Hokage." Setting the pen down more forcefully than necessary, Hiashi turned and left the office.

As the door clicked shut the Hokage growled and slammed her hands on her desk.

"If I wasn't Hokage I swear…" Her grumbled as her assistant laughed awkwardly, having almost been crushed by the tension previous in the room.

"He certain does live up to his title." Shizune petted Tonton, squishing the pig's head as her fingers shook, her superior was fuming. Tsunade yelled and threw her chair out the office window.

#

Lee swung his bag of food he'd gotten to go back and forth as he and Neji made their way to the Hyuuga complex. They hadn't spoken much during dinner due to the extremely awkward atmosphere caused by Hiashi's interruption.

They reached the front gate of the complex and turned to glance at each other. The silence was thick as both of them were at a loss for words. They'd know each other for years and after just one afternoon, they'd regressed back into a kind of relationship that made them act like strangers.

Lee looked to the ground, pretending to be interested with the dirt. "So…I guess I'll see you tomorrow…"

Neji nodded and rubbed his fore arm nervously. He didn't know what the appropriate way to act around Lee was. The other man had confessed to him after all.

"Yeah, I'd like to go speak to the Hokage about you accompanying me. Meet me at her office after breakfast."

Lee smiled and he turned to leave. "Alright, See you later than."

Neji waved and felt a bit annoyed. He ignored it though, what was he getting so angry for? Was he expecting something else?

Neji cleared his throat and averted his eyes from Lee's silhouette in the dim night light. His thoughts traveled to how they'd spent the last few days together. Lee was certainly a good distraction from his depressing thoughts. Lee also seemed to enjoy him company. Neji brought his fingers to his lips and gulped thickly.

Why was Lee's kiss so damn good, why did it make him feel so much better?

He looked over to see Lee had left. He hesitantly turned into the gate and made his way to his room.

He was greeted by servants as he passed. As he reached one of the main rest areas a bit of a ruckus was happening behind the sliding rice paper door. Having a good idea what was happening he felt no need to activate Byakugan and slid the door open, glaring.

A very lively Kiba Inuzuka was causing a scene with his anger as Neji's cousin, Hinata, held him back from their always calm teammate Shino Aburame.

"You keep your bug infested-"He yelled as he thrashed around. Hinata was shyly fuming, asking him to calm down. Neji could tell they must have just returned from their mission and they all looked very tired and stressed.

"Inuzuka, it's far too late for you to be causing such noise." He spoke loudly, and much to Hinata's joy, Kiba froze and turned to the older Hyuuga. Neji crossed his arms but kept his right hand loose, sending charka to his fingertips, showing the Inuzuka he wasn't in the mood to refrain from using Gentle Fist.

Kiba cursed under his breath and grumbled, glaring angrily at the bug user. Hinata smiled widely and ran up to her cousin. She had a small blush from all the excitement and she had large bags under her eyes, but she was happy. It was the part of her that tore Neji apart. How could anyone want to hurt her?

"Neji-Nii-san!" She said joyfully as she waited for him to hug her. In the Hyuuga house hold, even between close family members, physical contact was kept to a minimum. Neji uncrossed his arm and was about to give her a soft, small hug but he stopped himself. Suddenly the idea of human contact made his blood run cold. He coughed falsely and saw the tinge of sadness in his cousin's eyes.

"How was the mission, you weren't gone for fairly long."

"It was just guard watch at the border. Some diplomat was having a party close to the Waterfall border." Shino explained as he returned the sour look to Kiba from behind his dark shades.

Hinata turned to then and held a hand close to her chest. "And you two haven't stopped fighting since this morning."

Neji was glad to see Hinata had come out of her shell a little, almost to the point where she was scolding the other two.

The two men looked a little guilty as they glanced between Hinata and each other.

"Sorry…" Kiba muttered under his breath and Shino returned it with a slight nod. Neji wanted to pat her head, letting her know he was impressed but his mind wouldn't let him touch her.

Hinata sighed and returned to looking at her older cousin. "Father told me you're leaving, where are you going?"

Neji wanted to cringe but the other two men were still here. He eyed them with a glare as he spoke to Hinata. "Could we have this conversation where there are not so many unnecessary ears?"

Hinata got the hint and sent the boys a wave before stepping out onto the outdoor walkway. Neji shut the door and stood in front of her, a bit nervous. He still wasn't sure how much he wanted to tell her. They stood silent for a moment before Hinata asked.

"You were in the hospital a few days ago, why are you already leaving the village?" Her voice was the most sincere of concern and Neji knew she was only worried about him.

"Some things are best kept to one's self, Hinata-Sama. It'd only cause you distress, and anyway I'll only be gone for about a week."

"When you keep things to yourself it only makes me worry more." Her eyes, much darker lavender than his, were pooling over with little puddles of tears. Neji smiled sadly and used his sleeve to wipe the water away gently.

"I hate it when you cry over me."

She giggled and brushed his hand away as she wiped her eyes. She cleared her throat and responded. "T-Then don't give me so m-much to cry about."

Neji felt arms wrap around his chest and he inhaled sharply. Hinata hugged him, burying her face in his shoulder. Indirectly squeezing his still injured ribs, the sensation made Neji freeze and breathe shallowly. He tried to focus his thoughts but his mind kept running to fear.

_It's just Hinata, nothing to be alarmed about. It's just a hug. Nothing is wrong._

Even with his internal prep talk he could feel the beads of sweat under his head band. "Um, Hinata-Sama. I know you mean this with the best of heart…"

The girl quickly released him and stood back, embarrassed. Her cheeks a bright red and she apologized. "I-I'm sorry, I-I didn't mean to b-be so awkward."

Hinata wanted to cry again. As she was about to hide her face she noticed the look in Neji's eyes. He was frightened. She blinked confused, small tears fell down her face.

"Neji-Nii-San? Are you alright?"

The older Hyuuga cursed in his head as straightened himself. He looked away from her innocent and confused eyes. He hated himself once again. There was no way he could tell her of the horrors that had befallen him. The way the bruises never stopped burning his skin when he thought of how they'd been formed. Or how his forearms and chest felt like they were being crushed when the memory of them being broken and hurt resurfaced.

"Neji-Nii-San?" Hinata repeated as she saw the intense flicker of pupils and how his hands shook.

She gathered the courage in her chest and reached out towards her brother figure only to have her hand swatted away. His eyes like that of a scared animal. She felt the hot water run down her face as she could see the hurt and utter fright in his expression. What had happened to him?

"Nii-san?" This came out as more of a squeak as Hinata covered her mouth. Muffling her sobs as Neji regained himself. Regret crushing his heart as he watched her cry.

He ran a hand over his face as he pushed that anxiety down, refusing to acknowledge it. Remembering he was here with his cousin and nothing was going to harm him.

"I just don't want you to hate me…" Neji spoke just above a whisper afraid his voice would fail him. The girl looked up, a concern look of surprise on her face.

"I could never hate you N-Nii-san." The older Hyuuga inhaled slowly and exhaled with a shake entering his chest.

_Just say it; she has a right to know._

_But she'll hate me; she'll think I'm disgusting…_

The pause only made Hinata more anxious as she starred her cousin down, waiting for him to explain.

"I-I…" Neji gritted his teeth and balled his fingers into a fist, grabbing the fist with his other hand as he spoke.

"I have PTSD from my last mission…I'm going to see a doctor…I have trouble with people touching me right now…"

Hinata was silent, dark purple lavender eyes were wide as she looked at her cousin.

"Oh god…" She covered her mouth as she sobbed again. "I-I'm so s-sorry."

"No, this isn't your fault at all." Neji reacted quickly as he moved a bit closer, clearly keeping himself out of touching distance though.

"I'm just weak and let something so small affect me in a way that was extreme."

"I c-can't help but apologize" The girl sniffled and wiped her eyes again. She remembered she was supposed to be getting stronger but yet here she was crying her eyes out.

She needed to be strong now, especially for Neji.

"W-What happened?" She knew she shouldn't have asked but she had a weight on her chest that needed to be lifted.

"I can help y-you as well."

Neji stiffened and looked away, ashamed at the memory. He'd been so weak. He could've acted quicker, done more to get away or even not get captured in the first place.

"I can't tell you…" Neji stopped flexing his fingers and used his hand to rub his brow. How could he even think of facing her if she knew how broken and repulsive he was now?

"T-Tell me." She said in a meek voice. She was trying to stand her ground, Neji could see it. But he just couldn't tell her, he'd hate himself for the rest of his life.

"I told you I can't." He spoke with an uneven tone.

"I said tell me." She glared with tears still in her eyes. She was trying to get angry at him but to no avail. She was never cut out for ordering people around or leading. Even thought this was true, she was going to try her best.

Neji chuckled sadly, shaking his head.

"I'm so weak I can't even answer to the command of my superior."

"N-Nii-san, I didn't mean i-it like that…" Hinata dropped her look and took a step back. For Neji to bring their ranks into this made her feel very awkward and troubled.

The older Hyuuga sighed softly and turned to look his younger cousin in the eyes.

"If you really feel so compelled to know, feel free to ask Hiashi-Sama. I'm sure he won't hold anything back, but I would prefer if you didn't know at all."

Before Hinata could respond Neji left and headed for his room, rather quickly.

Leaving Hinata standing on the walkway, water starting to run down her cheeks again. She sobbed softly for a few minutes before returning to her teammates, gaining strange look and questions she waved away without speaking.

#

**REVIEW AND SPREAD THE LOVE! Reviews make me work faster!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Sorry it's super late T^T I've been so damn busy with all my AP classes I have no time to edit and write during the week.**

**Anyways here's chapter 6! I LOVE ALL OF YOU!**

**#**

The sun was just coming over the horizon of trees; the morning was damp and chilly. Summer was soon coming to an end and the cold weather that fall brought was approaching.

Neji had already been awake for a few hours now. He hadn't been able to sleep well; or rather his thoughts hadn't let him. When he didn't have Lee with him the memories attacked his dreams, forcing him to relive the horrors over and over.

He sat on his futon, packing his thing and getting ready to meet the green-loving ninja at the Hokage's office. He removed his night shirt and moved to his bathroom, examining the mark on his chest. Thankfully most of the external wounds were healing. Only yellow spot were visible. He ribs were still sore but he could deal with the discomfort.

He filled the sink with water and splashed some onto his face, trying to wash the tiredness from his features. He rubbed his hand along his cheeks and sighed once more. He was exhausted, whenever he wasn't with Lee he felt horrible.

There's that "without Lee" thought again.

He hummed a bit annoyed. He didn't want to admit it, and by that he really didn't want to, but Lee did help him forget and made him feel better. He did feel a bit guilty, was he using Lee by not returning the Chunin's feelings?

Lee had confessed his love and Neji had acting like it wasn't very important. He was shocked at first of course, and there was all the kissing, but he hadn't really thought of Lee any differently since then. They'd become closer but did he want to be with Lee?

His lavender eyes starred at him from the mirror.

He didn't resort to a 'no' as quickly as he thought he would. He furrowed his brow a bit, not confused but concerned.

Neji broke the gaze with his mirror self and left the bathroom to finish getting dressed.

#

Tsunade was really not a morning person, or a night person, or an afternoon person. Let's just say she wasn't an any person if she was sober.

Shizune was bringing her some coffee to help her wake up. Her assistant held Tonton in her arms as she fixed her superior a cup.

A knock on the door grabbed both their attention.

"I thought you said Shikamaru wouldn't be here till noon?" Tsunade tossed Shizune a look but saw the girl was a surprised as she was.

"Come in." The Hokage called reaching for her newspaper to check the lottery numbers for today.

A very awkward looking Rock Lee and Neji walked into the office.

"Neji? What can I help you with?" The curvy woman asked as she glared at the newspaper. She hadn't won, again.

"You said you were going to assign an escort for me correct?" The Hyuuga approached her desk as Lee turned to smile as Shizune, greeting her.

Tsunade rested her tired face in her palm. "I did, your uncle has already paid for the fees. I suggest you just go along and behave-"

"With all due respect Hokage-Sama, I am not here to complain." The long haired brunette said, trying to be as polite as possible while cutting the woman off.

"Then what are you here for, Neji?" Tsunade grumbled, a yawn tickling in her throat.

"I'd like to request Rock Lee as my escort. If I have to be escorted like a Genin I'd at least like the privilege to pick who has to watch over me." Neji replied, looking over at the chunin who was petting Tonton. His eye brow twitched as he cleared his throat. The bowl haired man blinked and looked over, waving and grinning at the two.

He exhaled lowly and turned back to the Hokage.

"Well the both of you are still on vacation time, Has Lee agreed to this?" the Hokage asked even as she was already getting the correct papers out. She was just glad Neji was arguing about the escort.

"I have." Rock Lee appeared next to Neji, grinning as he sent Neji a happy look. The two had met outside the building and said almost nothing. The events the day before still fresh in their minds and made both embarrassed.

Tsunade just shrugged and slid the paper and pen towards Lee. She mumbled as Shizune finally brought her coffee over. "Just makes less work for me I guess. I was going to have Gai do it but never mind."

Neji cringed a bit at the thought. Usually it'd just annoy him to be stuck with his former teacher for more than ten minutes but now Gai had been feeling so guilty about what'd happened. The Hyuuga was sure it would've only made things worse.

Lee filled in the paper as Neji and Tsunade went over the map and route once more. Explaining Hiashi had paid for a carriage but Neji completely refused and Tsunade wasn't going to push the issue. She just sighed and said she'd refund him for it.

Lee finished and handed the paper to Neji for him to sign. Their hands brushed and like out of a shitty romance novel they paused and starred at each other. Neji coughed and broke eye contact first, gulping nervously as he signed his name. Rock Lee cleared his throat into his fist and starred out the window of the office, pretending to be preoccupied.

This whole scene hadn't been missed by the two ladies. They exchanged a strange look.

Shizune smiled and asked the Hyuuga. "It seems you've become better with physical contact."

Neji placed the paper down and replied trying to sound as casual as possible. "Lee actually seems to be the exception to my recent phobia."

The green-loving ninja didn't miss the comment and it sent his heart a flutter. Though he pretended not to have been aware of their conversation.

"O-Oh, I see" Shizune said as she gathered some papers, moving to place them on a shelf.

Tsunade had lived much longer than anyone in the room, and had witnessed just about everything the world had to offer. But the day had finally come where a Hyuuga, besides Hinata, was getting flushed.

A wicked grin appeared on the Hokage's face. She'd spent way too much time with Jiraiya not to notice when two people had been doing _something_.

"So Neji, Hiashi came by after he found you yesterday, you were gone for a long time."

"Is that so? I apologize for my outburst yesterday." Neji narrowed his eyes, knowing what the older woman was trying to pull.

Lee on the other hand turned beat red, remembering the embarrassed moment when he thought the head Hyuuga was going to kill him for smacking on his nephew.

"It's water under the bridge. Anyway, when did you two want to leave?" Tsunade never stopped smirking as she turned between the two. Shizune catching this with confusion.

Neji turned to Lee, who'd regain his composure and offered. "We can leave now. We are both ready to depart."

Shizune blinked. "My, you don't want to take a few more days to recover."

Tsunade's eyes widened as she glared at her assistant. As far as Tenten and Lee had been informed Neji had just passed out from dehydration. They knew nothing about his wounds. Shizune realized what she had said and turned to look between Neji and Lee. Thinking she'd said something Lee knew nothing about she started to apologize.

"I'm sorry, Neji-san. I just assumed Lee already-"

Neji held up his hand and shook his head. "He already knows what happened. You're fine."

The Hyuuga turned to look at Rock lee. He was glaring at the ground and clenching his fists. Neji brushed his hand against the flexed hand. He felt like he wanted to comfort Lee. He couldn't imagine how much the tanner man hated himself. He'd seen Gai's reaction and Gai only viewed him as a student. But Lee had said he loved the long haired brunette. He held Neji above everyone else.

Neji returned his hand to his side as Lee's brow softened. The Hyuuga ignored the looks the two were getting from the women.

"Anyway, we'll depart at once. We should return within two weeks." Neji finished up and bowed. Tsunade nodded as she sipped her coffee and released them.

Not a second after they had left the office, Lee grabbed Neji hand and led him down the hall. They walked quickly as Neji asked annoyed at Lee's unnecessary force.

"Where are we going?"

His answer was quickly answered as they reached a back door to the large red building. There was no one out on the streets yet, dawn still very new. The shadow from the building made the back of the structure dark and to add to it, small trees were scattered around.

Rock Lee released Neji's hand and he exhaled trying to calm himself.

"Sorry." He turned away from the Hyuuga. Rage clearly boiling behind his eyes. Neji sighed annoyed and crossed his arms.

"For what?"

"…Just…Just everything." Lee sighed and went over to sit down, leaning his back against the red building. The Hyuuga knew this would happen and it would be best to get it out of the way now.

"You've done nothing wrong." Neji stood in front of the pouting chunin.

Lee rubbed a hand in his hair. "I could've been more responsible when we were on the mission. What happened should never have."

"But it did, and there's nothing we can do now to change that fact." The long haired brunette uncrossed his arms and sat down in front of Lee. Strangely, he felt himself consoling the bowl haired man.

"All we can do now is move past it." He placed a hand on the spandex wearing ninja's knee. "We're shinobi, being injured is part of the role, Lee."

Neji removed his hand and place both his in his lap. He was not very good as making people feeling better. If it were up to him he'd rather not dive into anyone's person feelings. But Lee…

"It's funny," Lee chuckled but in a force and sad way. "You're the one that got hurt but here I am getting upset."

"Would it make you happier if I told you I appreciate you getting so angry for my sake, though it does still annoy me to a point?" The Hyuuga raised an eyebrow, offering a small smile.

Gai had blamed himself and now Lee was. Neji didn't want the green-loving ninja to be upset. This was his problem and he was going to deal with it. Alone. He was going to face his own demons and fears, without bringing anyone down with him.

"Good, you had me thinking you were going soft on me." Lee smiled and pushed his back off the wall.

Neji waved his hand in the air. "I'm a Hyuuga, my attitude will never differ."

Lee chuckled a bit more happily now. He smiled and caught Neji's lavender orbs in a gaze. The Hyuuga cleared his throat before he felt his body move closer to Lee.

He stood up and brushed the dirt from his Hyuuga robes off. He was wearing a slightly different style. The fabric was still the loose white, but it was formed more like a shinobi issued shirt than his usual free flowing s outfit. It had a collar so he could cover his neck and his bag was draped over one shoulder. He was wearing his forehead protector though, keeping his shinobi status known.

Lee was dressed in his normal spandex and chunin vest, backpack and kunai pouch also present.

"Well we should be off; I'd like to at least get half way by night fall." Neji said, causing Lee to stand as well.

"Alright." The green-loving shinobi, bring and gave a thumbs up. Neji just shook his head and began walking.

#

The two had spent another hours, gathering last minute additions to their luggage but head out before the village really woke up and began then busy day.

The two traveled continuously through the remainder of the day. They'd made it far enough to where they could see the ring of mountains that outlined the border. Neji hadn't expected Lee to be so quiet. Not that he wasn't grateful Rock Lee had talked him into a migraine, but it was unlike the Chunin.

The Hyuuga saw the sun beginning to set and told Lee it was time to rest for the night. Just because he was being escorted didn't mean he was going to act like a wealthy noble and sleep in a hotel. He'd already spent plenty of nights just propped up against a tree trunk.

Lee agreed and found them a small open area a little ways off the road. He made a fire as Neji laid out their blankets.

The Hyuuga went to stand back up and felt just how tired his body was. He was still healing and walking all day had tuckered him out. Maybe it would've been better had they stayed a few more days like Shizune suggested.

Neji sighed and just sat on top of his blanket. No point complaining now, it was too late to turn back.

He stretched trying to relax his muscles as Lee came over to join him, sitting on his own blanket.

"We made it pretty far. We should be able to get there by tomorrow afternoon." Lee said, smiling and started to eat a piece of bread from his bag. Neji just hummed in respond and he lied down. He really was exhausted.

Rock Lee looked over to see the Hyuuga dozing off. His eye lids fell and he felt happy. Neji and Lee were closer than before and he'd even been able to confess without the brunette hating him.

He was able to see the way Neji was looking at him now was different. He wasn't just viewing the Chunin as a teammate but as a close friend and maybe even more. But that just mostly wishful thinking on Lee's part.

He finished off the bread and watched the fire as Neji fell asleep, breathing softly as the crackling from the fire overlapped it.

The tanner shinobi remembered their conversation from earlier. He'd acted a bit selfishly, Neji was hurt and he had been whining about himself. Lee sighed and watching Neji's sleeping form for a little while.

Why did he have to be so amazing? He was a Jounin, insanely pretty, even for a guy and he made Lee's heart just want to jump out of his chest.

During his admiring of Neji the Hyuuga began to stir in his sleep. Brow scrunching as he curled in on himself. Lee caught on to the behavior and soon heard Neji mumbling.

The Chunin got off his blanket and moved over to the long haired brunette. He placed a hand on Neji's shoulder, ready for the Hyuuga to attack if he was startled. Slowly he lied next to the brunette and ran a hand along his arm.

He smiled, wishing, practically praying, that Neji could get better and return to his normal self. And hopefully getting over his PTSD would make him a more open person, letting people get closer to him.

"Lee?"

The chunin flinched as he realized the Hyuuga had woken up. He smiled nervously and removed his hand from the other man's arm.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up, Neji." The brunette's tired eyes drooped as he sighed.

"May I ask why felt the need to share my blanket when yours is perfectly fine?" Neji sat up, propping his head up on his hand.

"You just look a little uncomfortable so-"

"So you decided I'd be more comfortable with you messing with my arm and keeping me awake?" The Hyuuga's hard gaze and attitude almost made Lee happier. He was glad Neji was still Neji.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up." He smiled apologetically. Neji just huffed and lied back down on the blanket. When Lee didn't get up and leave, he groaned and spat, fatigued.

"If you're not moving, go bring your blanket over here so there's more room at least."

Lee needed no further invitation.

#

Neji woke up slowly. His eyes were so heavy and he didn't want to move. He groaned and yawned as he finally opened his lavender orbs to see Lee sleeping.

The Hyuuga noticed he was being hugged quite tenderly and Lee's morning chin stubble was scratching his cheek.

He almost wanted to smile, he could place why but it felt like there was a bubble pressing against his rib cage from the inside.

"Lee." He said softly, not want to scare the man awake. The chunin just kept snoring quietly. The Hyuuga chuckled and pried the other man's arm off him and made his way over to his bag.

He ate some pieces of dried fruit as Lee continued to sleep. The fire had gone out long ago, the burn wood, damp from the morning dew.

Neji inhaled the sweet smell and relaxed, chewing on a dried apple. Late summer weather was just perfect. The Hyuuga felt a tickle on his fore arm and upon looking saw his bandages had come undone during the night.

He sent a look over at Lee, who was still asleep. The brunette reached into his bag and brought out a fresh roll of white bandages. Discarding the old and replacing them with new ones, he covered the small wounds still covering his fore arms. He frowned a bit as the burning sensation pecked at his arms. He breathed deeply and calmed himself.

"Does it still hurt?"

Neji didn't turn as he averted his eyes to the forest. Rock Lee stood and walked over. A strangely seriously look on his usually goofy face. He kneeled in front of the Hyuuga and gently took his other arm in his hands.

Neji watched as Lee removed the old bandages. Slowly as if the wounds we still fresh. The green-loving ninja set them on the grass and pressed his lips against the healing wounds. They were just new, tender skin now. They didn't required bandages but Neji didn't want anyone to see them.

Rock Lee starred at the marks. Running his own scarred hands over the once flawless pale skin. Neji was taught growing up, that words were meaningless. They were just sounds coming from a person mouth. That action was what really mattered. He'd seen examples before, but the pure energy coming from Lee…

Neither spoke as Lee wrapped the other arm with new bandages. Neji just sat eyes half opened as he chest felt like it was going to explode. The chunin finished and tied the ends. Still he said nothing, just held Neji's arm in his hands and rubbed his thumbs against the wrapping slowly.

"Lee…" Neji couldn't comprehend the way Lee felt for him. How could someone care for someone else in such a way for years and never say anything. How could Lee _love_ him? What made him so special that Lee placed him above everyone else?

As if Lee's emotions were being shared with Neji, he felt a surge of sadness and regret. The green-lover's eyes told everything. The Hyuuga slowly raised his hands to Lee's face.

Neji stared as Lee met his eyes, small tears peaking out of his eyes. The Hyuuga lost control of his emotions as he pushed himself out of a sitting position and smashed their lips together.

The Jounin held onto Lee's face as they kissed back and forth, sucking and biting softly. Neji moved himself closer to the green shinobi and pushed Lee into a sitting position, crawling into his lap as he found himself becoming addicted to Lee's love.

To be cared for so deeply, Neji had never had anything like this happen before. His father had died with he was young and his uncle was very sheltered with his emotions.

The Hyuuga felt his body melt as Lee pressed his tongue against Neji's lips, asking for access. The Jounin warily parted his teeth and lips, whimpering as the wet muscle move to explore his mouth. Lee was trying to keep things calm but with Neji being so forward he had to keep stopping himself and reminding himself the Hyuuga was still fragile. One wrong move and Lee could find himself being shot through a tree.

The green-loving ninja felt Neji's arms snake to the back of his neck. He broke the kiss and hugged the Jounin close.

Neji panted softly into Lee's chest as the two regained themselves. Lee began chuckling and Neji stared up at him, waiting for a reason.

"Why have we only done this outside?" The green-loving ninja laughed for bit longer before loosening his grip on the Jounin.

"We should head out soon."

Neji gave Lee a look, somewhere between happy and sorrow. He pressed a hand against the Chunin's chest and felt the rhythm of Lee's heart beating.

"You really love me…" It wasn't really a question as Neji looked up at the tanner man. Lee smiled sadly and pressed his face into the brunette's long hair.

"I would die for you, Neji."

The Hyuuga had read a few sappy romance novels and heard the corny love speeches lovers would give each other. But hearing the words coming from Lee made him want to just collapse in the Chunin's arms. This adore of Lee made him rethink everything he'd ever thought of people.

Could someone really care for someone more then they cared for themselves? Were humans even capable of being so selfless?

"No." Neji gripped his hands on to Lee's shoulder. He glared softly as he spoke in a serious tone. "You will never sacrifice yourself for me. I would rather be horribly assaulted all over again than have you be injured on my account."

The Hyuuga pride never stopped amazing Lee. However much the statement saddened him he nodded against Neji's head.

#

They entered the large town; lanterns were being light as the sun set. The streets were wide and sand paved. The different aromas mixed into a clean soap smell. The steam from the hot springs could be seen everywhere. Lee walked in front of Neji as the Hyuuga took a few moments to survey the surrounding buildings.

The Chunin got them a hotel room for the two weeks; it was within walking distant of the clinic and was very expensive to Neji's chagrin. He'd asked Lee to check out a room in one of the small motels but the Chunin just stated this was the one that Hiashi had paid for.

Neji finally and crankily took the key from the green-lover and made his way up to the room. Lee took the opportunity to go and check in with the clinic as well as give the Hyuuga some time to plow off some steam.

The long haired brunette was simply annoyed at the fact his uncle was treating him like a child and not allowing him to deal with his problem by himself.

Neji quickly bathed and dressed in one of the yukata the hotel provided in the room. It was really too nice of a place he would just be sleeping and bathing in. His brow in a permanent glare as he unpacked his bag and replaced the bandages for his forehead. He'd begun to place the ones for his arms but decided against it, he would only have to do it again in the morning.

And besides Lee had already seen the wounds. He dropped his glare just a bit as his eyes burned. A mix between angry and sorrow filled his head.

Was it really the best thing to do, dragging Lee into all this? The other shinobi obviously cared for him but would it be more painful seeing the Hyuuga so beaten?

He felt like draining his eyes into the pillow like a teenage girl with self esteem problems. He sighed and sat down on one of the king beds. He crossed his legs and tried to meditate for a bit but to no avail.

He was too stressed out to relax. He just wanted for all this to be over and done with. Why did this whole situation cause him so much grief? Was he really so weak to let such an event make him unbelievably vulnerable?

Why did he have to ask so many questions!?

Neji huffed and rubbed his forehead, brow furrowing as fatigue began to take over. He pushed the yawn back into his chest as he perked up hearing of familiar footsteps coming down the hallway. Lee knocked before opening the door with his spare key.

His hair was soaked as Neji glanced at the window. When had it started raining?

Lee chuckled as he set his things on the opposite bed. He shook a hand through his wet hair before remarking with a grin. "Guess I don't need a shower now."

The green-lover quickly discarded his chunin vest and headband he wore around his waist. Next came the weights and leg warmers. His one piece green spandex left nothing to the imagination, his abs and chest, biceps, thighs and any other muscle Neji could think of was clearly visible. He could almost watch each one move at the chunin went about unpacking.

Not that Neji was starring or anything.

The Hyuuga cleared his throat and lay down on his bed. Getting under the covers and untying his hair band as Lee continued to work.

Rock Lee resisted the urge to tease the Hyuuga, he might not have the Byakugan but even he could tell the brunette had enjoyed the view. He smiled to himself knowing that Neji at least found him attractive. It was start, of course he hadn't expected to be kissing the Hyuuga yet but he still wanted to take it very slow. He wanted Neji to feel special and truly fall for the Chunin.

Lee finished and turned to see the Hyuuga in a deep sleep. His injuries really took a lot out of the Jounin. The green-lover frowned remembering the arm wounds; he hadn't even gotten a good look Neji's neck. What else had been hurt?

The Chunin was gripping his bag tightly before he sighed, calming himself. He set the bag down and moved over to him bed. He removed his spandex and got into a pair of short to sleep in. As he lifted the blanket to get into bed a noise made him freeze.

Neji Hyuuga whimpered. Not in a coy or sweet way, but in one of pain and fear. Lee gulped thickly as the sounds continued to leak out of the Jounin.

The brunette shook softly in his sleep. Lee couldn't feel his heart beating as he slowly made his way over to the Hyuuga.

He stood in front of Neji, chest wanted to split into two as the expression on the Hyuuga face broke his heart. Tears threatening to slip over and he was biting his lips. His hand gripping the blanket tightly and they shook as he breathed in an uneven pace.

He moved slowly to place a hand on Neji shoulder. He leaned so the Jounin laid flat on the bed. Lee moved to place his knee next to the Hyuuga's waist. He placed his hands on either side of the Hyuuga's head. Neji's expression lightening into one more peaceful.

Rock Lee breathed softly as he leaned over the sleeping Hyuuga. He spoke softly as he lowered his lips to the Jounin's neck.

"Neji."

Repeating the name softly until the Hyuuga began to stir awake. Lee kissed and sucked lovingly on the abused skin. The yellow bruises burning into his vision as he rubbed his hand through the Brunette's long hair.

"Neji." He spoke softer as he pressed his forehead into Neji's shoulder. The Jounin now opened his eyes slowly seeing the shaking Lee, holding himself above the Hyuuga.

"Lee?" Neji questioned as he saw the sorrowful look Lee was giving him. The black orbs burning with an invisible fire as Lee caressed his face gently.

"I'm so sorry." The green-lover whispered. Neji closed his eyes slowly before rapping his arms around the Chunin's neck. He shh'ed the younger man waited silently as Lee controlled himself.

The Hyuuga used his arms to pull Lee's face closer to his. He chuckled tiredly.

"I'll never understand how you can care so deeply." Neji pressed their foreheads together. This was what lovers did, right? Comforted each other?

Were they lovers? Could he love Lee?

"Neji, please don't feel like you have to make me feel better." Lee warm breathe tickled his lips. Lavender and Black starred each other down.

"I don't. I _want_ to make you feel better." The Hyuuga was barely to finish his sentence as Lee pressed their lips together. Neji's memories of his assault were pushed back as he focused on the warm touch of Lee's hands.

The Chunin looked at the Hyuuga with such a deep emotion Neji could feel it being shared once again. Lee broke the kiss and planted butterfly kisses down the Jounin's face onto his neck. The yukata was easily pushed off his shoulder.

Lee didn't want to go any further than kissing but something was nagging him. He wanted to see the full extent of Neji's injuries.

"Lee?" Neji voice was filled with caution as Lee moved his hands to the Hyuuga's chest.

Rock Lee stopped for a moment before asking softly eyes in a slight determined stare. "I…I want to see everything they did…"

Neji sunk into the bed a little more before he nodded. He sat up, Lee leaning back on his legs as the Hyuuga removed his yukata and let in drop onto the bed.

He refused to meet the other's eyes as Lee traced the marks with his eyes. The Hyuuga sat completely still as Lee moved forward, running his fingers over the bruises and bite marks that were still present.

His voice made the Jounin flinch. "Neji…"

Lee's eyes turned miserable as he lowered in forehead back onto the Hyuuga's shoulder. He'd let this happen, if he'd been more responsible maybe this would have never happened.

What could he even say to make this better? If he tried to console the Hyuuga, Neji would get angry for Lee showing him sympathy.

"What can I do?"

Lee's voice shook as he traced Neji's rib cage with his hand. Noticing the Hyuuga shivered from the light touches. Neji cleared his throat before whispering.

"I don't know."

Lee wrapped his large arms around the Jounin and pushed them both back against the bed. He breathed in Neji's scent and murmured loving words into his hair as the Hyuuga enjoyed the warmth of the Chunin's chest.

They both soon fell asleep, Lee refusing to release the shaken Hyuuga. The spent the next few hours sleeping entangled in each other's embrace.

#

When the night turned into the next day Neji found he was unable to fall back asleep. He relaxed against Lee's warm embrace for a few minutes but a prick began irritating his neck. He rubbed and scratched it but it refused to disappear.

He moved out of Lee's hug, careful not to wake the sleeping shinobi. He moved into the bathroom, thinking he'd been bitten by a bug or something but could see no mark in the mirror.

The ugly yellow discoloration of his skin starred back at him. He moved his hands over his chest and neck.

He glared at the reflection of himself.

The greenery of the rouge camp flashed around him. The breath of the shinobi ran down his back, hands grabbing his body. The smell of the burning fire and the nearby river. The muggy sweat that covered his bare body as the he was continuously forced onto to the dirt.

The ropes burning into his arms as he pressed against them, the blindness that handicapped him.

The Hyuuga wanted to just tear his skin off so he wouldn't have to look at it anymore.

He turned the faucet on and let the water run. The sound soothed him for the time being, he washed his face lazily.

In a few hours he would have to go met the psychiatrist. Like he was some mental patient. He'd have to tell a complete stranger how he'd been too weak to protect himself. The mere thought made the Jounin feel queasy. Was he getting cold feet? After they'd traveled all the way here and paid for everything?

_Alright, just calm down._

He told himself as he starred into the mirror. He'd heard that drinking alcohol calm the nerves but he wouldn't be able to get any here without being legal age.

Neji shook his head as he chuckled at himself. What had happened to the powerful, indifferent Hyuuga? He used to be so calm and collected.

He was really letting all the stress get to him. He ran his hand over the sink, he remembered the first night out of the hospital he'd slept on the floor and gotten the imprints form the tile all over his side.

Then his talk with Gai, And all that was in between then and now. He felt embarrassed for how strange he'd been acting, So many things he wish he could just erase from his memory.

His thoughts confused him as well, one moment he would be depressed and the next fueled by rage. Why couldn't he just go back to his normal self? The leader, The Jounin, A protégé.

"Why?" He starred at the sad lavender eyes in the mirror. They were brimmed with red veins and glossy.

He chuckled wiping his arm over his face and leaning on the counter top.

The sun became to peak over the horizon and lightened up the sky into a nice soft orange and red. The mellow light lit the bathroom up a little through the high window.

Neji ran his fingers through his hair, fixing it as much as possible. He'd still need a brush. The Hyuuga moved to sit on the counter now and lifted his legs up to it as well. He wrapped his arms around his shins and pulled them close. Leaning his head on this crossed arms the Jounin starred at the mirror.

**#**

**Reviews are loved!**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Kay this chapter's a little shorter because I'm adding another day between this and what was supposed to be the second half of this chapter. I felt that I added the drama too soon so I'm spacing it out a little. I writing thought! AND HAPPY B-DAY TO LUKE, His birthday (this whole entire fic is his present) is the third of October so, Happy b-day!**

**Love you buddy!**

**And I love all my readers!**

**#**

He groaned softly, burying his face in his hands, he wanted to kill himself. Neji looked up when he heard Lee walking down the hall.

""The Doctor is fine. He actually wanted to apologize to you. He said it was unprofessional to have surprised you like that." Lee knelt in front of the sulking Hyuuga. Neji glared and rubbed his brow.

"Surprise? If He'd stabbed me with a kunai I'd be surprised. All he did was touch my shoulder and I out right tried to kill him, Lee!" Neji stood up and walked away from the chunin.

"I acted like a damned lunatic!" The Jounin felt the shame shadow his mind again. How could he not control himself?

"Neji." Lee stood in front of the long haired brunette and held his hand up to touch the Hyuuga caringly but stopped and pulled his back like it'd been stung.

Neji saw this and whipped around walked briskly away from the shinobi again.

"Neji, I was joking. Come back." Lee smiled awkwardly, actually having been a bit nervous to console the Hyuuga after he'd sent his doctor into cardiac arrest in one touch.

He followed the angry and embarrassed Hyuuga, he knew Neji would never hurt him intentionally but his behavior recently did prove he lost himself at times. Back in the woods outside Konoha, Lee hadn't even been able to talk to Neji while he attacked the Chunin with the rage of a rapid animal.

The two walked quickly until they reached the infirmary room. Neji stopped in front on the door as his face dropped all anger. Lee caught up and stood a few feet from the Hyuuga. He looked nervous as he knocked and waited for the door to be opened.

A nurse smiled and let the two of them in. The messy haired Doctor was sitting up in his bed as the two shinobi entered the room. He looked over and greeted them.

"About earlier…" Neji started but didn't continue. The Doctor just kept smiling and he waved the words away.

"Please think nothing of it, I should have read your file more thoroughly." He reached over to the bedside and held a folder up and opened it. He looked through it a bit before explaining.

"Admitted for Haphephobia."

Lee and Neji exchanged looks. The Doctor saw this and chuckled.

"I'm sorry; Haphephobia means to fear being touched."

Neji raised an eyebrow and asked as the nurse brought two chairs for the shinobi. "I was told it was PTSD."

The Hyuuga sat while Lee just smiled at the nurse and continued to stand, stepping away from the conversation a little, giving Neji some space.

"That's such a broad term; I've narrowed it down to Haphephobia. And its clear form the way you reacted it has escalated quite far." The Doctor rubbed his head of messy blonde hair and flipped through the file.

Neji's brow twitched slightly as the embarrassment hit him once more.

"I'd like to begin the treatment immediately for this Hap…fear of being touched. I'd like to be able to report back in within a few weeks." The Hyuuga stated with a serious tone, gaining some of his old confidence Lee remembered.

"A few weeks? Mr. Hyuuga, being completely cured of Haphephobia could take up to a few months, maybe even a year."

The Hyuuga was clearly not amused by this.

"Can you fix me or not? If not we have nothing left to talk about." The Hyuuga spoke with an under lying fire.

The Doctor sighed and thought for a few moments.

"I can in the amount of time but you won't like it very much."

"I don't like a lot of things right now so if you can get rid of them I assure you I'll be fine." Neji stated and watched as the Doctor stood up from the bed slowly.

"Very well." He gripped the Hyuuga chin roughly and held the Jounin's head still. Lee jumped over and was about to attack the man for grabbing Neji but the Doctor held his other hand up.

"This is called exposure therapy, though a more extreme version."

Neji's hands twitched in his lap as he tried to remain focused on the doctor. His breathing was quickening.

The doctor noticed this and held the Hyuuga's face firmly. "Neji, where are you right now?"

The Hyuuga looked to see the bright white infirmary room.

"The clinic."

"Who am I?"

"The PTSD specialist."

"Are you scared?"

The Hyuuga didn't reply right away like he had with the other questions. Lee's eyes grew a bit wider.

"…I'm not sure."

The Doctor let go and back away from the Hyuuga a little. Neji gripped his arm as the burning flared.

"Does he do that a lot?" The Doctor turned to Lee. The Chunin jumped a bit, broken from his thoughts.

"Sometimes, I've seen him do a few times when he talks about the incident."

This time the doctor's eyes widened. "Incident? I wasn't informed of any kind of traumatic event."

"Um…well…" Lee trailed off, his eyes glaring at the floor as his hands clenched. The Hyuuga couldn't speak, this had been the moment he'd dreaded over all night.

"Let's speak more at my office, this infirmary always make me uneasy." The Doctor waited for Lee to speak with Neji who himself was on the edge of panicking.

#

The room was more of a traditional Japanese style living room. A small table with sitting cushions placed around it. Neji had expected something more modern that didn't remind him of the Hyuuga complex so much.

Lee had asked if Neji want his company with the Doctor but the Hyuuga really did not want to have to see Lee's expression when he explained what had occurred.

So the Chunin sat in the lobby area of the clinic, wasting time. Neji and the Doctor sat across the table from each other and in silence.

"How old are you?" The shaggy haired Doctor spoke, his voice loud in the open room.

"19." Neji responded, flat tone-less voice. He could feel himself shutting down. Wanted to reach that blissful numbness he'd began to crave.

"My, still quite young."

Neji didn't reply. The Doctor sipped his coffee.

"You are the one who wants to be cured quickly, yet you don't speak."

"Must I? Can we work without discussing dark topics?" Neji scoffed and clenched his fists. He was acting childish again.

The Doctor sighed under his breath. "You'd be amazed by how much better you'll feel."

Neji did remember how he'd felt better after talking with Lee a bit about what happened. He'd also felt very nervous while speaking of it, and to say even more to a stranger made Neji's stomach hurt.

"How about you just say it in the simplest way you can think of? I've found that helps people start."

Simplest? Was there any way to simply explain the pain and humiliation? The horror of being used and treated like a animal? Could you even put it into words?

The Doctor waited, hands intertwined as Neji argued with himself.

He glared at the ground and placed his hands on the edge of the table. A surge of courage running through pumped by adrenaline. Anger mixed with and then sorrow, shame and exhaustion.

"During my last mission, we were ambushed by a group of rouge shinobi. I'd gotten myself separated and was knocked unconscious. When I awoke I had been taken to their rest area, I was interrogated for information and when I didn't cooperate…"

Neji's voice crack before he could say more. He cleared his throat and starred at his hands.

"I…was raped…"

He felt like all his energy was taken away, he felt so broken. Just once sentence he'd refused to say since it'd happened had broken him so much. Maybe it wasn't the words themselves but the meaning behind them. That he had to accept the fact that he had been used for the sexual pleasure of another against his will.

He had to accept that he was too weak to protect himself and had let himself fall into that situation.

Neji met the Doctors eyes and saw indifference.

"Tell me aloud what you're thinking right now."

"I was not strong enough to protect myself." Neji cringed at the sting in his arm.

"So why would I be strong enough to protect anyone else?" The doctor's voice caught Neji's attention and silenced the brunette.

"I was defenseless and was used. Therefore it might happen again?" The Doctor fiddle with his thumbs in a way that reminded Neji of Hinata.

"You see, Mr. Hyuuga. The only way for you to overcome your fear is to rebuild your self confidence. You're afraid of physical contact because you don't trust yourself to be able to protect yourself."

The Hyuuga was quiet as he thought over the Doctor's words. Did he fear that something like that would happen again? Did he think he was useless to stop it if it did happen?

_Yes._

Neji's lavender eyes widened as the answer didn't hesitate to appear in his head.

He turned back to the Doctor. "How do I rebuild my confidence, as you say?"

"Just learn to trust yourself again. And you'll soon see that you'll trust others too."

Neji and the Doctor continued talking.

#

After a few hours of chatting with the receptionist and a few others waiting in the lobby, Lee began to make his way back to the hotel room. Neji had told he was free to leave but he felt a little guilty, leaving Neji alone.

He chuckled to himself, knowing Neji would scold him for thinking something like that.

Neji really did hate being treated specially; He'd told Lee before it made him think of the difference between the two branches in his household.

Rock Lee could smell the restaurants cooking their meals for the dinner rush and it smelled amazing. A small curry shop caught his eye. He ordered **himself a level 10*** curry with extra spiciness. Before they gave him the meal they had asked him to sign a waiver.

Lee brushed it off as one of the northern customs. He knew Neji hated curry so he stopped into a small ramen house. Why the Hyuuga hated curry made Lee wonder, He'd seem to love it whenever they went to visit the Curry of Life restaurant. Which Lee dragged him, Tenten and their teacher to when the green-lover's birthday would roll around.

He saw they had one of Neji's favorite meals on the menu and ordered it with a side of Tempura.

Making his way back to the hotel Lee enjoyed the late summer air and changes of the colors in the sky as the sun began to set.

He reached the hotel and went up to their room. Placing the food on their table before undressing and removing all his equipment.

Rock Lee stretched and yawned not having done anything all day made his muscles stiff. He eyed the food. He didn't really want to work out after he ate the food. The chunin threw on some shorts and a shirt. He left a note for Neji, just in case the Hyuuga returned before him.

While Lee was jogging around the small town Neji did return and found the lights in the room on. He entered and called for the Chunin but with no response he relaxed on his bed. The crinkle of paper caught his attention. The Hyuuga lifted his head to see the note.

"Went for a run! Be right back." Neji read with less enthusiasm than Lee's writing. He laid his head back down and sighed.

He was extremely tired mentally. Having to recall the events while trying some of the exposure exercises stressed him out.

As he slipped into the loving embrace of sleep a certain smell made his practically jump out of the bed. He smelled smoked herring.

He saw the containers of food sitting on the table and went over to them. His wonderful herring was soon covered but an intense spicy smell that burned the Hyuuga's nose. He automatically knew that practically toxic one was Lee's.

He found the soba bowl and brought it over to the floor in front of his bed. He removed the top and gulp in delight. The soba noodles and herring smelled like heaven.

The door to the room opened slowly to reveal a very sweaty Lee. He perked up and waved at Neji as he made his way to the bathroom.

"Lee?"

The chunin stopped at looked over his should. "Hn?"

"Did you pick this up for me?"

Lee couldn't place the tone in Neji's voice, He wasn't angry was he? "Yeah, of course. It's your favorite; you get everything we go out to eat. Oh, I also got some vegetable tempura. But I asked them to remove the pumpkin because I know you don't like it and I don't really care for it anyway."

Neji starred at Lee and the bowl haired man smiled and closed the bathroom door behind him.

The Hyuuga heard the shower turn on as he starred at the meal in front of him. Lee knew so much about him. He didn't want to admit it but he felt happy. After such a worrisome day he got to come back, relax, and enjoy a delicious meal.

Plus be in the company of Lee.

Neji's hand froze midway to the chopsticks. He really did enjoy being with Lee, more than he did with anyone else.

Lee knew when not to talk, most of the time, and when they weren't around Gai, He was loyal and kind. That and he cared for Neji.

The Hyuuga felt guilty now.

Was he in the wrong because Lee felt so strongly for him but he wasn't sure if he even viewed them more then friends. He lifted his thumb to his lips in thought.

He remembered his talk with the Doctor from earlier. He needed to learn to trust himself again. How could he do that?

Neji leaded his head against the back of the bed as he pondered, soon assuming a meditating pose and let his mind wander.

As Neji sat Rock Lee had finished bathing and came back out of the shower. A pair of spandex boxers tight on his thighs, and other things.

Neji's eyes opened for a moment to see the other man. He furrowed his brow. "You really love spandex, I'll never understand that."

"Hehe, I like the feel of it! It's efficient and aerodynamic." Lee continued to go on and on into one of his and Gai's rehearsed speeches. Neji didn't mind he let himself wander back to the amazing food sitting in front of him.

The restaurant had given them wooden chopsticks so when Neji broke the apart so he could begin eating it caught Lee's attention.

He stopped talking for a moment. ""You haven't eaten yet?"

"Yes, I got lost in thought, plus it would be impropriate to eat before you. You did go get the food after all." Neji replied before getting some noodles and slurping them quietly. Though his facial expression didn't change, he felt like he was melting. He loved herring soba and nothing in the world of food could compare.

Lee was still a bit flushed that Neji had waited for him. He went over and grabbed his meal and the tempura. Then sat in front of Neji, setting the tempura between them.

Neji finished having his food orgasm and used a napkin to wipe the soba sauce form his mouth. "Hn, I haven't thanked you yet for the food have I?

"No need, I was on my way back anyway." Lee grinned before breaking his chopsticks and digging into his very red curry. Neji cringed at the smell for a moment but he'd become used to Lee's insane food choices. He simply turned his attention back to his soba.

The two ate for a while in silence just chewing and clinking dishes.

Lee finished first, exhaling and hummed a bit. "That was good."

Neji nodded in agreement as he finished off the herring. Wiping his face and noticed the rice littering Lee's face form his pig-like eating.

"My goodness, you have close to no manners." Neji reached across the empty tempura plate and began to wipe the rice off Lee face as the green-lover laughed and joked around.

"Sorry, Mom." Rock Lee placed his hand on Neji's wrist. The Hyuuga stopped his cleaning and felt the heat coming off Lee's skin.

"Is it alright when I touch you?" Lee asked a sincere concern on his face.

"Strangely, yes." Neji's voice grew quiet as he felt the atmosphere change slowly. He sat back down and collected the dishes. He placed them back on the table, heart racing as he watched Lee move about the room from the corner of his eye.

Why was he so focused on Lee?

"Hey, Lee?"

The chunin turned to look over his shoulder to look at the Hyuuga.

"I really appreciate you coming with me. This is very stressful for me and I'm glad I got you as my escort."

Neji turned away from Lee and starred at the dirty dishes. He heard the creaking of Lee's bed as the green-lover stood and the slow, steady footsteps as Lee walked over to him.

"I couldn't think of any better to do with my time than spend it with you, Neji." Lee leaned his fore head against the back of Neji's head. His warm breath tickled the long haired brunette's nape.

"You're the strongest, most amazing and smartest person I know. Well maybe beside Shikamaru-san."

Lee chuckled and Neji found himself cracking a smile.

"If you're trying to compliment me, you're doing a bad job." Neji snapped playfully.

Rock Lee just laughed more and wrapped his large tan arms around the Hyuuga's chest, hugging him as he continued.

"I just know you'll be back to 100% in no time."

"Thanks, Lee." Neji spoke softly and placed his hand on the green-lover's scar covered hand.

He felt cheerful when he was with Lee, like the silly, immature man sucked everything that was bad out of the world.

"Lee" Neji leaned his head so he was pressing back against Lee. The other man just hummed in response before moving his head to rest of the Hyuuga's shoulder

_I don't feel nervous at all, I'm not anxious or scared around him._

"I'm not really sure, but…." Neji paused; his mouth didn't want to form words anymore. Why was it so hard to say?

Lee saw the conflicted expression Neji wore and just chuckled light heartily. He nuzzled his nose into the crook of the Hyuuga's collar bone.

"It's alright Neji." Lee placed a butterfly kiss on the Jounin's head. He laughed a bit more then returned to his bed.

The Hyuuga missed the warmth Lee gave him as he climbed on to his own bed. He moved under the thick covers and relaxed into the pillow.

Would he be alright without Lee next to him?

The Jounin flexed out of reflex. The images blurring his vision and chills covering his body.

"Lee?" Neji called softly, listening the creaking of the Chunin's bed.

"Yes?" He could hear Lee leaning up from the blankets.

"You can come over here if you want…" The Hyuuga gripped the sheets on the bed as the touches grew stronger around his throat.

Rock Lee had known Neji a long time. He could tell when Neji wanted something but couldn't. Lee stood from the bed and walked over to the Jounin's. He placed a hand down first, watching as Neji moved so he'd have room to lie down.

The Chunin moved onto the bed and slowly snaked his arms around Neji's thin frame. He was tense and nervous.

Lee began whispering meaningless words, just so he could pull the Hyuuga back from his fear. He spoke about how when he and Gai had run around the entire village a few times for a whole day.

"And then I wanted to climb the evacuation stairs only on our hands but he said to save that for another day." Lee laughed, his sweet tone vibrating against Neji's back.

"Lee." The Hyuuga looked over his shoulder. His eyes had a pleased look in them.

"What, you want me to stop rambling?" The Chunin joked as he watched Neji turned around so they faced each other. Neji placed his hands on the green-lover's chest and relaxed his head against Lee's arm.

"No, I like hearing you talk, I'm just happy…" The Hyuuga grew quiet, letting Lee know he didn't want to elaborate.

Rock lee didn't mind, he'd just heard Neji say the Chunin made him happy. He couldn't be any more ecstatic. Giggling the way Lee did, the Chunin closed his eyes and let the blissful sleep pull him under.

**#**

**I needed a happy ending in at least **_**one**_** chapter XD**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Hey, cuz I've been so sucky lately and not updating I threw in a super long kiss scene :D**

**LOLIKNOWTHATSNOTAGOODENOUGHE XCUSESOSORRY**

**Writer's block is gone now though and I'll proof the next chapter in the morning, this one took soo long because I had moved some scenes around and I had a huge gap between the end of the last chapter and the end of the chapter so I couldn't figure out what to fill it with XD. Love all my readers!**

**Oh yeah and chapter 614 doesn't exist. Nope, didn't happen, I ain't acknowledging that bullsh*t.**

**#**

Neji Hyuuga sat staring off into space as he waited for the Doctor to return. Their second meeting was going a bit smoother. They had tried the exposure theory again but not having Lee in the room with him made the Hyuuga nervous and they'd decided to take a short break.

He rested his chin on his palm as he moved to glance around the room. He needed to get over this fear quicker. From what the doctor was telling him at the pace they were going it would take up to a month. It was mostly the Hyuuga's stubbornness getting in the way. He was still refusing to fully accept his condition and it was hindering his recovery.

How was he just supposed to? He was a Jounin, one of the most powerful shinobi in the entire village and he'd been treated and beaten like an academy student. He frowned and let his fingers ball into fists as he eyes glared at the painting covered wall.

A gust of air, tickled his hair and his Byakugan activated in an instant, his hand shot out and deflected the object aimed for the back of his head with a blast of chakra.

Neji glared forward towards the Doctor who wore a sly grin on his face. The shinobi didn't step out of his stance quite so easy, he looked the man over once before taking a relaxing step back, his Byakugan still activated.

"Sorry, Mr. Hyuuga, you looked so deep in thought I couldn't help myself." The man spoke, moving back to his seat. Neji just kept his glare-like stare on the man, refusing to sit back down. He wasn't sure if that had been part of the exposure therapy or if the Doctor was testing something else.

"Now then…" The man groaned happily as he sat down and took a drink of coffee. His notes were placed back in his lap and he began their lesson again, Neji finally sitting down after a few minutes.

"-And it's like your brain is its own separate machine that operates the other machine, do you understand? If something is wrong with one part, both ends with suffer." The Doctor had a way of going off on tangents, not that Neji minded too much, the man was clearly smart and knew what he was doing.

"So for you it's almost like a rubber band that was stretched too far and snapped. Now we have to fit a new one into place and fix everything that was broken because of the trauma." The man was very animated when he spoke, arms often opening and closing, making movements to whatever he was talking about.

The two spoke more about the biology of the brain and how trauma affected its function. This went on for a while and soon the end of their session rolled around. The Doctor forced himself to stop talking as they reached almost twenty minutes after their time was up.

"Alright, alright, that's enough for today. Why don't you go get some rest? I'm sure Lee will be waiting like a puppy craving attention." The Doctor sent the Hyuuga a grin, making Neji avert his eyes and stare at a random picture on the wall.

The Hyuuga stood and turned to leave but stopped himself and asked. "Is it possible to have someone who is almost an exception to your phobia?"

He wasn't sure what compelled him to ask such a thing when he was sure the Doctor knew who he was talking about. The man rubbed his light blonde stubble and hummed for a moment before rambling a little as he got to the point. "It really does all depend on the circumstances, the person who has the phobia and how close the two people are. It's very common that best friends can overcome phobias with each other much more quickly than with a regular acquaintance. Though lovers and relationships are usually 50/50. Either they get past the phobia quickly or it drags it out more and just feeds the fear. But some cases show that a lover can help speed up the recovery process a lot."

The Doctor waved his hand, closing his eyes for a moment. "We can talk more about this next time, go relax for a bit."

And with that the Hyuuga said his goodbye and left the room. Of course, Rock Lee was slouched in one of the arm chairs in the waiting room, his face in his palm as he dozed in and out of a nap. Neji stopped in the door way and let his hand rest on his slim shoulder, rubbing it a bit as he watched the sleeping Chunin.

He refused to acknowledge the tug of a smile on his lips. Lee had been so kind and helpful the last few days, he'd let Neji burden him with all of the drama going on and still was able to wear that goofy grin on his face. The Hyuuga felt a strange thickness in his throat as he began to move towards the sleeping shinobi. The receptionist was sending the two a playful smirk as Neji tapped the green spandex wearing man.

The deep sleeper Lee was made it a little hard to wake him unless there was a loud noise or a rough push. The Chunin wasn't too far into his nap so when Neji cleared his throat a bit obnoxiously the black orbs blinked opened.

Lee slowly leaned back, rubbing his stiff neck as he groaned; he'd slept in worse positions so he'd be fine. The Chunin sent the long haired man a happy smile as he stood and stretched.

"How was your session?"

"It was good, I'm ready for dinner. Are you hungry?"

"Neji, I don't think I'm ever not hungry" The man's laughed as a nice dull ring through the quiet room.

#

The Hyuuga's ever permanent frown as thinning as he sat on his bed, enjoying the comfortable sink it had. They'd grabbed a simple bowl of ramen, neither of them having anything else on their minds for dinner. Neji would love to eat herring soba for every meal but he knew if he ate it too often it would take away from the flavor.

Lee simply lied on his bed, on top of the covers; he smiled lightly as he kicked his shoes off, letting them fall to the floor. He turned to glance at Neji as he relaxed his arms behind his head.

"Any breakthroughs yet?" His voice had a nice happy-go-lucky tone in it. Neji saw he was watching Lee so much closer today.

"Nothing much, we just spoke more about the more scientific side of all this." Neji replied as he fixed his hair tie, tightening it, trying to ignore the amount of hair strands that came out and clung to his hand. The Hyuuga was mellow but not quite tired; he could already see Lee was ready to fall asleep though.

"Don't sleep in your uniform." He stated in his usual tone, a hint of a smile behind it. Lee turned his head towards the Hyuuga and just let a goofy grin spread on his lips.

The Chunin pressed his chest up so he could stand. He stretched his arms and moved to his bag on the other side of the room, near the tall dresser. Shredding himself of his vest and leggings he called over his shoulder, to continue their conversation.

"You're thinking about something, aren't ya? What is it?" His tone lowered and was a calm deep tone that Neji could feel echo in his chest.

The Hyuuga glanced away from the stripping shinobi as he tried to collect his thoughts. Neji murmured softly, his hands moving his hair over his back. "I'm not quite sure; everything is still mixed up quite badly."

Lee's brow raised a bit as Neji was being more open and sincere. The Chunin removed his spandex and changing into a pair of loose boxers to sleep in. The Hyuuga made sure to not let his eyes wander too much, even though he'd seen Lee naked hundreds of times.

Neji looked down at his fingers as he heard Lee move towards his bedside. The Hyuuga bounced as the bed dipped, Lee's weight making the Hyuuga center himself. The Chunin was unwrapping the bandages from his fingers and forearms as Neji rubbed his hands together.

"You can just talk about whatever you want. Anything to make this easier on you." Lee smiled softly, seeing the rarely awkward feeling come from Neji. The Chunin let the used bandages lay next to him on the bed and intertwined his scarred fingers. He'd been thinking about just slowing down and talking for a bit. Neji had been rushed from one thing to the next for a while now; he needed to just have a normal conversation about meaningless things.

"Anything? Well, let's see… I suspect that Inuzuka still has affections for Hinata-Sama, and you know that I find that unacceptable." Neji grumbled, letting himself relax his back and shoulder, not quite leaning on Lee yet but close.

"You should've seen the way she handled her team members though." The Hyuuga had a satisfied smile come to his lips, Lee's spirits rose as Neji smiled.

"Ever since Kurenai-Sensei went on maternity leave I was worried she would become over whelmed but she's been doing very well. Those two respect her, but she will need to be a bit more forceful especially with that mutt." Neji rolled his lavender eyes a bit, glancing over at Lee's grin as he continued.

"…We should have Tenten tutor her, that girl has kept you and Gai out of more trouble than I could have." Neji's smile fell and he felt a tug of guilt in his chest.

"I haven't spoken with her in a long time…Tenten's probably worried sick…" The Hyuuga gripped his hands together and Lee wrapped one of his tan, warm hands over his tensed ones.

The Chunin bumped his shoulder against Neji's playfully. "Tenten's really strong headed, she'll be fine. If she found out you were worrying about her instead of healing she'd throw a fit."

The bowl haired man chuckled and pulled his hand from Neji's. The Hyuuga nodded before letting his side rest against Lee's, the familiar warmth was pleasant and made his chest feel less heavy.

"I'm glad you're here, even if I don't show it a lot." Neji's lips were pressed into a firm line as he looked away from the green-lover, embarrassed by his own words. The Chunin just hummed happily and wrapped an arm around Neji, giving his arm a soft rub.

They sat like that for a little bit, resting against each other, both of them thinking of something to break the silence but nothing came up. Lee eventually cleared his throat and rubbed his head with his free hand.

"I…I should probably head to bed, I wanted to go running in the morning…I-I mean if you're okay…" The Chunin was flustered making Neji feeling less embarrassed himself. The Hyuuga let his hand slowly and uneasily touch Lee's, that held his upper arm. He gripped his fingers around the Chunin's and stared at the bed cover.

"I know you want to kiss me again…" The Hyuuga stared at the head board as Lee flinched a bit and laughed awkwardly.

"Am I really that easy to read?"

Neji simply just nodded, still looking away from Lee, His face growing warm as he knew what he was trying to do. He wanted Lee's embrace, it made him feel safe and he wouldn't have the night terrors if the Chunin was there.

Said shinobi was gulping thickly and opened his mouth to say something but stopped himself, losing the courage to say it only for a moment before asking with an almost docile tone.

"Do you want to?"

Neji blinked but still didn't look at Lee; he wondered if really did wish to kiss Lee on a level deeper than just protection. He tightened his grip on Lee's fingers and replied softly.

"Could you turn the lights off?" The Hyuuga could feel the heat rise in his cheeks as the words left his mouth, he could only answer Lee's question if he knew for sure. The Chunin practically jumped up and hit the switch, the room growing dark, only dimly lit by the lanterns out on the street and the moon. Neji was bit colder only for a few minutes before Lee returned to his side, this time sitting to face the Hyuuga.

Neji's lavender eyes gradually looked at the other shinobi, the brunette suddenly feeling very self conscious. Lee's hard and broad features were outlined but the dark room, the bridge of the green-lover's nose was wide but in all the right ways, a strong jaw line showed off his maturity. Neji was basically the opposite, a fair, slender nose with a gentle oval curl of his face; most of the Hyuuga had soft features.

The Hyuuga rested his hands against the bed sheets and his shoulders rose a bit, as if to hide his still bruised neck, even though Lee could barely see it in the lack of lighting. Neji watched Lee watch him and it was a strange discomforting feeling. He could tell the shinobi was mapping out his face and arms and torso and probably so much more, Neji felt like he was a painting on display.

Lee slowly reached his hand to lay over the Hyuuga's, his other going to cup Neji's cheek. Feeling the other man twitch under his touch, Lee sent Neji a look as he second guessed himself.

"Are you sure?" The green-lover wanted to show how much he cared for the Hyuuga and he knew this was only one of many, but he wouldn't do anything if the other wasn't comfortable. He wanted Neji to love him back, even if a large part of his brain told him that was impossible. But that part wasn't in charge right now.

"…Yeah." The long haired man nodded, feeling Lee's hand press against his skin more. He focused on the caring warm touch, separating it from the cold scrapping crawls over his neck and arms. The Hyuuga closed his eyes; a huge sign of submission from Neji, for a Hyuuga to close his eyes was the same as forfeiting his weapons. Lee's brow dipped as he pressed forward, the scene seemingly more intimate then their previous kisses. Before they were fueled but adrenaline and almost hormonal urges. Now it felt like the cliché romance novel kiss.

The two felt the gentle touch of a pair of lips, not quite doing anything yet, just touching and brushing against each other. Lee rubbed his thumb over Neji's hand as he pressed their lips together, a slow, and melancholy of motions. The bowl haired man didn't move any further until after a seconds when Neji pressed back, sucking on Lee's lips.

The Hyuuga could feel Lee gulp through their lips, the Jounin not sure what to do next. He was the same age as Lee but his sexual encounters had been kept to a minimum. He did love the way Lee's hand on his face helped to direct how he should tilt his head or how far forward he should press. Lee on the other hand was doing his best to hold himself back, Neji's responses were sexy as hell and the Chunin was beginning to worry he might take it too far if Neji didn't give him a boundary.

The speed of lips moving stayed the same but the force behind them grew, the soft wet sounds seemed like a gunshot in the dead silent room. Neji having his head tilted to the side as his mouth pressed into Lee's, both of their heads making a continuous back and forth motion as they kissed.

Neji couldn't think of anything but the feel of Lee's skin and the taste of his lips. All the stress was gone as if it was never there in the first place. The strain in his upper back and shoulders melting further away with every movement the two of them made. Lee's hand moved to the back of his neck, massaging it and pressing into the sensitive tendons and muscles. A tremor ran up Neji's back as the shinobi made his arms and legs shiver.

Lee broke their lips apart and both of them panted softly. Lavender mixed with onyx as they looked at each other, a thick silence falling over the two shinobi. His fingers rubbed against the fast pulse in Neji's neck, the heart beat loud in the green-lover's ears.

"N-Neji…I-" The Chunin was cut off as Neji wrapped his arms around Lee's neck, crushing their lips back together. The Hyuuga couldn't lose the mind numbing bliss, it was too addictive. Rock Lee didn't object much and just kissed back. Their mouths moving quicker now, a strange hungry fueling their lips as Neji buried his fingers in Lee's black hair. The Chunin pushed Neji down against the bed, his hand releasing the Hyuuga's hand to hook under the long haired man's knee and pull Neji towards him.

The kissing continued at its constant pace, Lee still hesitant to move too quickly. His scarred fingers traced Neji's thigh and the Hyuuga's legs pressed against the Chunin's. Neji sucked on Lee's lips, the taste of ginger from his chicken still strong in his mouth. The Hyuuga opened his mouth fully to get a better feeling and tilted his head to the side more, figuring out Lee's rhythm made things go smoother.

Lee's gentle touches made his skin light up, an unfamiliar heat growing in his stomach as Neji broke the kiss to catch his breath. The Hyuuga breathed quickly, starring up at the Chunin as the calm, mellow feelings numbed his train of thought and made him never want to leave that state for forgetfulness. Rock Lee gulped, so hard the Hyuuga could see his neck tendons tighten, the bowl haired man wore a worried expression as he looked down at the Hyuuga under him.

"We have to stop here…" Lee whispered, knowing he'd already crossed the imaginary line. He didn't even know if Neji returned his feelings, yet they were still in their situation.

Rock Lee backed off and sat back on his knees, watching the Hyuuga follow him up, an irritated glare appearing in Neji's eyes as his bliss left, bringing him back to reality.

If they went all the way would it replace his horrid thoughts about sex? Could it speed up his recovery?

He couldn't let his life revolve around this fear.

Neji felt the cool air him as Lee stood off the bed and started for his own bed, taking Neji's silence as an awkward agreement. The Hyuuga glared at the ground, cursing at himself.

"_Just learn to trust yourself again. And you'll soon see that you'll trust others too."_

The Hyuuga's eye narrowed. He would get nowhere like this. Always backing out at the last moment.

"Rock Lee." The Hyuuga turned, climbed off the bed and quickly made his way over to the Chunin. Lee looked up as he sat down on his bed. Neji startled the other shinobi as he straddled the tanner man. Lee blushed a bright red as Neji forced his shoulders back against the bed. The Hyuuga pulled out his hair tie as he spoke.

"I'd like for the two of us to engage in sexual actions." Neji's voice rang with his usual prideful tone. Lavender eyes lowered in a determined stare as Lee just blinked. His chocolate hair falling over his shoulder, tickling Lee's face.

It took the Chunin a minute to understand what the Hyuuga was talking about and then his blush darkened and spread all the way to his ears.

"N-Neji, but…I-I…" Lee gulped and tried to compose himself. "W-will you be okay? I mean…"

The Hyuuga just kept his unwavering expression as he replied. "I'm well aware. I wish to see how far my metal state will allow me to endure."

Lee sat up, his hands setting themselves on the long haired brunette's thighs. "Neji, I don't know about this. I don't think you're ready."

"You've been all over me for the past week, and now you choose to give a damn about if I'm ready or not?"

Neji raised his voice and felt the dryness in his throat.

_Don't back down._

Lee cringed at the statement and felt the guilt that came with it. "I didn't mean…I…"

The two looked away for a moment collecting their thoughts again.

"I just don't want you to feel like to have to keep forcing yourself for me, Neji." Lee was quieter now, his blush faded and he sat up a bit more so Neji was in his lap.

The Hyuuga sighed and leaned his head against the taller man's chest.

"Lee, I want to do this for me. I need to get better and I want you to help me." Neji tilted his head up at the Chunin. Lavender eyes in a steady gaze. "I need you to help me get over this."

The other shinobi sighed and thought a moment.

"I'm still not sure, Neji. What if you have another panic attack or something?" Lee asked, hands softly rubbing the Hyuuga's sides.

Neji raised an eyebrow in annoyance. "I'll be fine; I'll tell you if I wish to stop."

"Neji?"

"Hn?"

"This wouldn't have anything to do with that exposure therapy the doctor was talking about, would it?" Lee asked with a blank expression.

The Hyuuga's eyebrow twitched just a little.

"Partially yes, but I want to sped up my recovery as quickly as possible. Using you I can make my recuperation faster." Neji stated, he found Lee's behavior strange.

The tanner man removed his hands from the Hyuuga's waist. He wore a hurt and angered look in his eyes. Rock Lee sighed a bit more aggravated now.

"Neji, get off me, please."

The long haired brunette froze, what was he going on about now?

"Why?"

Lee's anger black orbs met lavender. He leaned closer to Neji as he voice rose while he spoke. "Because I'm not going to sleep with you."

Lee pushed the Hyuuga off him and got off the bed. Neji grabbed his hand and asked, anger and confusion filling his head.

"Wait, why? I don't understand."

Lee only became more agitated as the Hyuuga tried to comprehend the conversation.

Rock Lee pulled his hand away and began to put a loose pair of jeans on.

"Rock Lee, do not ignore me."

The Chunin force a shirt over his head and turned back to the Hyuuga. "Neji, what you're asking of me is pretty selfish. I know I've been a little less that careful with you in the past couple of days, but that's only because I thought, maybe, just maybe you felt something back."

The Hyuuga stood from the bed and watched as Lee opened the door to their room.

"I can see now you really don't care, I'll be back in the morning to see you to your appointment."

Before Neji could reply the door was slammed shut and the empty room echoed.

The long haired brunette stood silent. He stared at the door and felt the silence stabbing his ears like a blade.

_I don't understand, what did I do wrong? Did I offend him somehow?_

Neji's throat remained dry. He tried to clear it but Lee's word kept repeating in his head. He had this cold rush throughout his entire body.

Placing a hand on his throat, Neji made his way to the bathroom. He poured a glass of water and tried to wet it, but to no avail.

The Hyuuga met his red rimmed eyes in the mirror. His throat stung and his eyes became dry as well.

_Did I do something wrong?_

He felt the intense sting and a sound escaped his throat. He covered his mouth.

Why did Lee snap at him? Did he hate Neji now? Had the Hyuuga ruined everything with a rash decision?

He hadn't meant to come off as selfish. Didn't Lee like him?

Another sound.

Why did he feel so…so…?

Neji felt warm liquid run down his cheek. He shot his head up and starred back at the mirror. His eyes blurred at the tears came thick and plentiful. They fell from his eyes as the shaking in Neji's chest started. The Hyuuga clenched his hand over his mouth tighter.

_What? Why am I…?_

**#**

**I IS THE WORST AUTHOR EVER I KNOW! SO SORRY KTHXBYE!**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: YAY DRAMA!**

**#**

Lee glared as he walked through the small town. It was the dead of night. No lights were lit apart from a few street lanterns.

The Chunin had the anger fueling his legs as he walked.

"You can't just pull something like that out of nowhere…" He grumbled to himself as he thought over what'd happened.

"Did he even think how I would feel? Has he just been using me this whole time?" Lee's anger subsided as sadness rose in his chest. He slowed to a walk and sighed.

"I was an idiot for thinking he could love me back anyway…" Lee stared at his shoes. What was he going to do now; he couldn't go back and face Neji now.

_He's hurt right now, He probably meant for it to come from a sincere place. He might not have realized._

_But how do you not realized having sex is really extreme? You're supposed to care for each other before you dive right in._

_He's in pain; he might have just wanted to be comforted._

_That's still not grounds for having that kind of intimacy with each other. He only sees me as a teammate anyway. _

Lee groaned and scratched his head. Arguing with himself wasn't helping any.

He walked around some more and thought. And the more he reflected the more he felt stupid for over reacting and leaving Neji alone the way he did.

He loved Neji more than himself sometimes and he never would have even guessed that the Hyuuga would trust him. Neji was always against getting close to people, and yet he was letting the green-loving shinobi kiss him and hug him, along with sharing deep thoughts with.

Lee would never want to do something to upset Neji.

And yet he still reacted the way he did.

Was him liking Neji not enough, did he want the Hyuuga to like him back as well?

"Neji isn't ready yet, he's so fragile right now." Lee told himself. No matter how much he wanted the Hyuuga, he would hold himself back for Neji's sake.

Lee turned around, seeing the hotel in the distance. His brow lifted as a scary thought passed through his head.

_What if I had been too harsh and Neji hurt himself?_

"No, calm down. Neji wouldn't do something like that." Lee laughed nervously. He frowned a bit and started back for the hotel.

#

Rock Lee opened the hotel door slowly and quietly. All the lights were off and he could see the outline of Neji in his bed. The Chunin sighed in relieve. Not wanting to wake the Hyuuga, Lee tip-toed to his own bed and laid down. The taller shinobi fell asleep within a few minutes.

The brunette sat up and deactivated his Byakugan; he'd been watching Lee for a while now, long before he returned to the hotel. Neji pulled the blankets off and sat, starring into the dark walls of the room.

_Lee hates me…_

Neji pulled his legs close to his chest. Why did he have to go and mess everything up? This was exactly the opposite of what he wanted to be happening.

_And just when I was…_

The Hyuuga gulped softly as the thought faded out. He turned and watched Lee's chest fall and rise in the little light the moon produced.

He leaned his head on his knees and watched the Chunin. Lee snoring made Neji fell a little better but also pained him as well.

His arms burned. He removed the bandages and ran his fingers over the wounds that had disappeared and left nothing now but faint red marks, which would soon disappear too. Why did they hurt so much still?

The sounds of the rope straining entered the room. Neji gulped and covered his ears. His eyes were sore from crying and forcing them shut only irritated them.

He could feel the rope digging into his wrist as he ground his teeth together. The panting, and the sweat the covered his skin. It mixed with the dirt and other fluids.

The Hyuuga could feel his hair being pulled and yanked. The teeth on his chest, and fingers ranking down his back.

_Why won't they stop?!_

Neji peaked into the dim room and found only darkness. He took a deep shaken breathe. Hadn't he been through enough? Wouldn't this nightmare disappear already?

What had he done wrong to deserve this? Was it because he viewed himself above those weaker? They way he'd acted when he was younger? That he didn't believe a person could change what they really were?

He wanted to feel that numbness again.

But instead he relieved the nightmare again and again. He hadn't felt so horrible since the incident itself. The past couple of nights he'd been fine. But he'd also been with Lee.

_I'm not going to bother Lee; I'm going to get over this damn fear myself._

Neji curled in on himself as the sounds and touches grew more vivid. The heat on his body grew and the finger touching him felt next to real.

The Hyuuga stayed that way for the next few hours, quietly enduring his torment with fire growing in his eyes every passing minute. Soon enough the sun was beginning to raise and Neji got dressed.

The hand retreating to feathers as he finished getting ready. Neji glance in the mirror only to regret it. Dark rings under his bloodshot eyes made him look insanely tired; his hair was back in its tie but the tie kept falling out.

The Hyuuga grew angry and removed it only to find when he pulled his hand away strands of hair were caught in his fingers. He gulped and glanced over to his brush. Indeed it was full of hair.

_My damn hair is falling out!_

Neji growled and glared at himself in the mirror. He looked like a damn madman.

The brunette stopped and stared at himself.

Was the person staring back at him really Neji Hyuuga? The Jounin from Konoha, member of the Hyuuga clan and one of the biggest protégés of his generation?

No, this was a broken Neji. He'd fallen.

#

"Well I would ask how your night was, but I think I fear the answer." The Doctor chuckled blandly and watched the tired Hyuuga sip his tea.

The Doctor himself was gulping down coffee like it was going out of style.

Neji stared at his tea and felt his eyes drop. He flinched as his head slumped. He shook his head and cleared his throat.

"Where's that Lee boy?" The Doctor asked while waiting for his next cup.

"He and I are in the middle of a disagreement." Neji's eyes darkened slightly. "I did something I regret and I believe I offended him."

"Hn, what did you do?" The Doctor raised a large eyebrow. The Hyuuga set his cup down and sighed before speaking.

"I asked if he wanted to try that exposure therapy with me, though I think I pushed it a little too far."

The Doctor sat, puzzled and waited for the brunette to explain. Neji turned away and placed his hand in his lap awkwardly.

"I asked him if he wanted to see if we could have sex. I wanted to see how far I could go before I reacted negatively."

The older man laughed. He wiped his eyes and saw the pissed Hyuuga glaring at him. He waved his hand and cleared his throat.

"Well he's probably 'offended' because you intended to use him. You weren't trying to have sexual intercourse with him because you like him, but because you just needed a test dummy."

The shinobi blinked. Then he frowned and covered his face with his hand.

He cursed under his breath. How could he have been so stupid, Lee had told him he loved the Hyuuga. Of course he'd take something like that personally. But Neji hadn't meant for it to appear like that. He would just do that with anyone.

Lee was the only-

Neji cut his line of thought off and looked back up at the Doctor. Ignoring the thoughts plaguing his mind.

"Anything else troubling you?"

"I've been wondering, what're some common, I don't know if you would call them 'side effects', of PTSD?" Neji asked placing his hair behind his ears, without his tie it kept falling in his face and it was getting extremely annoying.

"Why, have you been experiencing strange things?" The Doctor asked as one of his assistants brought him his next coffee. He sipped it as Neji answered.

"I believe so, I have these kinds of hallucinations and I can feel things that I know are not really there. I've also had these emotional surges where I'll get so angry I can barely control myself."

The Doctor rubbed his morning stubble and nodded. "These are normal for trauma victims. It sounds like you've been reliving similar events, connecting to your incident."

"I've been reliving the entire thing almost every night since it happened."

The Doctor raised his eyes surprised. He swallowed his coffee and coughed a bit. He ran a hand through his messy hair.

"Goodness. That must be tormenting. I've heard of people having dreams where figure symbolizing there attacker is there, but to relive the actual event is much less common." The blonde man thought for a moment.

"Maybe exposure therapy would be most effective."

The Doctor stood and motioned for the Hyuuga to stand as well.

The older man took the next thirty or so minutes explain exposure therapy and though he applauded Neji for trying to heal himself, that he should really only do it with someone else around. Not knowing what would set him off could put the other person in danger.

After all this the Doctor gave Neji a blindfold. The Hyuuga placed it on and waited for further instruction.

"All right Neji. I'm going to shake your hand."

The Hyuuga felt the other man's hand grab his hand shake before releasing it.

"Make your thought audible, please. Let me understand your thoughts." The Doctor's voice was the only was Neji could know where he was. His footsteps on the tile were faint as he moved around.

"I supposed I'm nervous, not being able to see. Being a Hyuuga sight is a large part of my fighting style."

"And?" The Doctor grabbed his hand, but this time from the side. He shook it and then released it.

"Touching makes my arms hurt."

"Your arms?" The Doctor raised an eyebrow and watched the Hyuuga's facial expression closely.

"Yes, when I have my 'side effects' my arms, where my hands had been tied, burn."

"Interesting, so it's like a defense signal." The doctor stood close to Neji's side.

"I'm now going to grab your arm." Neji felt his upper arm pulled away from his body and tugged a bit forcefully. Flashes of the rouge leader popped into his head.

He froze and when the Doctor released him he didn't let his arm fall.

"Neji? What're you thinking?"

"…"

"Neji." The Doctor went to grab the Hyuuga's arm again but the shinobi took a step back, pulling his arm close to his side.

"Excuse me; I just need a moment to calm down." The Hyuuga's hands shook and he clench them in fists by his sides.

"This is what we want; you need to face your fear head on." The man's voice boomed in the large room.

Neji's breath hitched as the Doctor grabbed his arm again. The yellow eyes starred at him and he panicked, throwing the Doctor off him and jumping back. Tripping and falling onto his back. He cringed as he sat up.

"It seems you're alright with minor contact, but when it becomes forceful you're brain takes over and goes to the defense. Interesting." The Doctor steadied and brushed himself off. He brought a finger to his lips and thought.

The Hyuuga stood and fixed his hair. His hands shook as he did. He cleared his throat and tried to stop the trembling.

#

The brunette was now much more tired. After spending the whole day doing the exposure therapy Neji just wanted to curl up in his bed and fall asleep. He said his goodbyes to the Doctor and made his way towards the lobby. He moved his hair behind his ears; he'd been doing it all day. He wasn't used to his long brown locks tickling his face.

He opened the sliding door and saw the somewhat empty lobby, it was late now and most of the other clients had left their sessions. Neji was surprised a bit to see Lee sitting in one of the chairs. Hands intertwined as he leaned on his knees.

"Lee?" The Hyuuga walked over, refraining from touching the other. He'd had enough physical contact for the day.

The other shinobi practically jumped out of his seat and looked like he was going to say something, but nothing came. Lee lifted his hand to touch the Hyuuga but stopped himself, clenching his fingers into a fist. He let his arm fall to his side.

"Um, how'd it go?" He spoke gently; the insane guilt that crushed his chest was unbearable. Neji looked horrible; Lee couldn't help but feel responsible.

"Alright, I only hit him a few times." Neji said. He was shocked Lee had come to get him.

Then again he is getting paid to escort me.

The two stood there for a few moments before deciding to return to the hotel. They walked through the town, it was already far into the afternoon and the dinner rush was showing around the shops.

"Did you want something to eat?" Lee asked. Neji just looked so tired it made Lee feel bad for giving him even more to worry about.

"No, I'm not in the mood to eat, I'd just like to rest." Neji replied, pushing his hair back on to his back. He wouldn't meet the green-lover's eyes. Both standing further apart then usually.

"You shouldn't skip meals, Neji." Lee scolded him a bit, seeing the stress was really taking its toll on the Hyuuga.

Neji clenched his fist as the surge of rage filled his blood. Another mood swing he couldn't control. He grabbed Lee by the front of his shirt and growled, fire burning under his skin.

"I'm a god damned Jounin, I've gone days without food, don't think you can preach to me. I'm still your senior." Neji gave the other a rough push as he walked faster towards the hotel.

Lee stood frozen; he'd never seen Neji react so quickly and with such fury. He straightened out his shirt and watched the mad Hyuuga disappear into the streets. He slapped his palm into his fore head.

Why had he gone and made Neji mad? That was the complete opposite of what he wanted.

Lee sighed, they'd only spoken for a few minutes and the Chunin had messed up again.

Rock Lee went into one of the curry houses and ordered the hottest thing on the menu.

As he sat the waiter from the other day recognized him, mostly from his outrageous meal.

"Hey, mister. No soba today?" The waiter placed the food and ginger down. He refilled the shinobi's glass as Lee felt even worse.

"I'm afraid not. But I'd love some tempura if that's alright." Lee smiled a bit, not wanting to offend the man. The waiter nodded and went back into the kitchen.

Lee mostly just played with his food, taking a bite every once in a while. He still finished the plate of tempura and all his curry but he hadn't enjoyed it. Neji wouldn't leave his mind.

_Neji's hurt because I rejected him. I'm not sure what to do…_

The shinobi place his head in his hand. What was he supposed to do? He'd never been in this kind of situation before.

Maybe he and Neji just needed a little space; they'd been with each other all the time for the last week. Lee had already decided before he wouldn't try anything with the Hyuuga. Neji wasn't himself and he needed time to heal.

The waiter brought the bill and Lee paid. He stayed in the restaurant for an hour or so. He began to see why Neji liked to just sit and relax. He got to watch the other talking and having fun, while they ate. The way the waiters always started out with the same, happy-go-lucky smile. It eased his stress a little.

The waiter kept glance over at him. Lee just pushed off as the man was waiting for him to leave. To his surprise the waiter brought a take-out bowl over to him. He placed it on the table and winked before leaving.

"But, I didn't order-" Lee started but was cut off as the waiter waved goodbye. He was a little confused until he saw the familiar herring soba Neji loved so much.

Jeez, such a nice thing to do.

Lee smiled a bit as he took the bag that surround the bowl and left the shop.

#

The Hyuuga had fallen asleep quite quickly after his destruction of the bedside table; he'd have to pay for it later. Neji breathed softly as the door to the room opened. He didn't want to open his eyes as it woke him.

He groaned, tired as the familiar flash of green appeared next to his bed. Lee was kneeling on the floor so their eyes were level.

"Neji." He spoke softly. The Hyuuga groaned in response, he just wanted to sleep.

Lee chuckle light heartedly and took the lid off a bowl. Neji smelled what could only be described as heaven in noodle form.

He lifted his head and moved his hair out of his face. Lee moved his bedside table over, seeing Neji's in pieces across the floor. He set up the bowl for Neji and kept smiling as the adorably tired Hyuuga finally sat all the way up and reached for the chop sticks.

Lee stood leaving the Jounin to eat in piece. He cleaned up the broken wood and set it off to the side of the room, he'd take care of it later. He glanced back over to the eating Hyuuga and smiled a bit. He was glad Neji had calmed down and was in a better mood.

The Chunin changed into his relaxing clothes and washed up. As he exited the bathroom he saw Neji had finished his food.

"That was fast." He joked lightly, moving over to his bed. Neji sat staring at his arms. Lee could see the slight pink marks that stained his arms. They'd be gone soon. That thought made Lee feel a little better.

"Lee."

The chunin turned to the other shinobi. Neji wore a strange expression, like he wanted to say something but didn't know how. Lee had never seen it on the Hyuuga. He sat on the edge of his bed closest to Neji's.

"Yeah, Neji."

"I wanted to apologize for my behavior, today as well as last night." Neji spoke softly, rubbing his wrists.

Lee blinked and waved his hands. "No, you fine, I'm not mad. You don't need to apologize."

He flushed a bit; he hadn't meant to make the Hyuuga feel bad.

"I do, I was very rude yesterday and you had every reason to act the way you did." Neji continued, a little less nervous now. He needed to let Lee know. He had to trust himself enough to control his action.

"But I want you to know I didn't mean to sound like I was using you. I'd never do that." Neji got a stern look, one that reminded Lee of the Hyuuga's usual glare.

Lee just sat and listened as Neji continued to speak, getting all of this off his chest.

"After thinking I've decided that you should return Konoha ahead of me, I'll make my back by myself. My reaction earlier showed me that I've been taking out my anger on you and I haven't been very fair."

Lee's eyes widened. What was Neji talking about?

"Neji, I'm not leaving you here alone."

"But what if I hurt you?" Neji snapped as the room grew tense.

"Then I'll take it laughing and smiling." Lee grinned as he stood from his bed.

"Lee, I can't take it. Knowing all I'm doing is causing you grief." The Hyuuga's eyes softened but his voice stayed in the same harsh tone.

He'd already hurt Lee emotionally and physically. He didn't want to screw up anymore. If Lee wasn't there he could hurt the Chunin. He didn't know how to love someone anyway. How could he possibly return Lee's feelings?

"Neji, I've loved you silently for years, I'm not about to go back to that unless you said it would make you happy." Lee said as he moved over to sit next to the Hyuuga, careful not to touch Neji.

The Hyuuga glared at the other. "I'd never ask you to suffer like that."

"Neji." Lee smiled as he stared at the Hyuuga. It was clear Neji was conflicted and confused about what to do. The Chunin would do his best to help Neji, no matter what.

"Nothing in this world would make me happier than to know you're safe and happy, that's all I need."

The Hyuuga lowered his gaze. He was trying to apologize and the idiot had to go and say something like that?

Neji lied back against the bed and buried his hands over his eyes. How could the Chunin be so selfless?

Lee laid next to him, leaning on his side and just looked at the Hyuuga. He'd help the Jounin no matter what, even if Neji ended up hating his guts, he'd make sure Neji was alright.

"Neji, I really do care about you, you know?" He spoke softer, His deep tone vibrating in Neji's ears. Why did Lee always know what to say to make him feel better?

"Lee, could you turn the lights off, I'm tired." His voice was quiet and shaken. The tanner man got off the bed and Neji felt himself sink in a little.

The lights were off at the sound of a switch. Neji still covered his eyes as he heard Lee moving back to his own bed.

The Hyuuga moved his arms and saw the other man up under his blankets and laid his head on his pillow.

Lee smiled as he relaxed into his bed. He was happy Neji had calmed down. No matter how much he'd wanted to hug the stressed Hyuuga he fought against his urge. He'd let Neji have his space.

The sound of the floor creaking made him look over his shoulder. Neji moved the edge of his blanket and lied down next to the Chunin, his usual uninterested expression across his face.

Lee turned over a bit confused as he felt the Hyuuga press his back against the green-lover's chest.

"Neji?" Rock Lee asked quietly, seeing the other close his eyes. Neji hummed in response as he got comfortable.

"What are…?" Lee let his sentence go unfinished as Neji looked at him for a moment before looking away, an awkward expression replacing his other.

Lee felt his cheeks warm a little as Neji relaxed against his chest. The Chunin smiled happily as he watched the Hyuuga for a few moments, then relaxing back into the pillow.

**#**

**Semi-cute ending for all y'all!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Get a little more back story this chapter! Happy reading!**

**#**

The morning light made Neji's lavender eyes open. He yawned as he pressed his face against Lee's chest. He didn't want to get up. He glanced up to see the other man's sleeping face. Lee snored quietly as he large tan arms kept themselves wrapped around the Hyuuga.

Neji wandered back into his head, trying to fall back asleep. He felt much better, knowing Lee didn't hate him. Usually if someone disliked him it wouldn't bother him, a lot of people didn't like him. But with Lee it'd made the Jounin so depressed.

The Hyuuga noticed that once again when he was with Lee the nightmares stayed away.

Neji opened his eyes again. He traced the muscles of Lee's neck and shoulders. His fingers moving to the other shinobi's chest. The Hyuuga gulped a little nervously, he'd touched Lee practically every where when they spared or fought together. But now everything seemed so much more personal.

His hands moved to place themselves on the Chunin's beating chest. His calm heartbeat thumping in Neji's ears.

_What is this?_

Neji used his hands to push his face closer to the green-lover's.

_I don't understand._

Lee's breath brushed against his cheeks and Neji placed his head on the pillow next to Lee. He stared at the sleeping man. His morning stubble made his face look much older and mature.

_My heart is beating so quickly._

When had Lee changed? When had he grown into this amazing, loyal, responsible adult? It made Neji a little sad to think he'd grown out of his silly, idiotic attitude.

_This urge…_

The Hyuuga moved his hands from Lee's chest to his face, cupping the other man's cheeks in his hands. The bristly chin hairs tickled his palms.

"Lee, wake up." Neji spoke quietly, pressing his face closer so their noses touched. Could he love Lee?

The Chunin stirred awake, black orbs blinking before focusing on the Hyuuga in front of them. Lee smiled and nuzzled his face against the pillow.

"Morin'." He mumbled as he watched the Hyuuga. He wasn't quite sure what was going on but he wasn't about to argue with the Hyuuga's want to be close to him.

Neji seemed a bit different. His eyes soft as they stared at him. His whole face relaxed but also strained in some kind of thought.

Lee moved a hand to cover Neji's hand on his face. Bringing the paler, unscarred hand to his mouth, placing a small kiss on the palm. Neji tilted his head, smiling as he closed his eyes. Rock Lee felt himself wake up a little more, placing his remaining arm around Neji's waist bringing him closer. Pressing their chests against each other.

"I love you, Neji." Lee hummed softly, their noses touching gently. Neji chuckled a little reopening his lavender eyes.

"I know." He replied. He felt so calm and happy. Who knew just laying with someone could make him so cheerful?

No, it wasn't just someone. It was Lee that made it special.

Neji tilted his head a bit more moving the last inch or two to press his lips against Lee's. The chunin met him half way, kissing Neji slowly. Maybe if they just had this moment where nothing else mattered they would be alright.

#

The Doctor reviewed his notes on the young Hyuuga as he waited for said man to show up. He sat on cushion, drinking his third coffee that morning. He rubbed his chin reading over a certain paragraph again.

He felt the Hyuuga hadn't fallen too far into his symptoms but recovery would still be a bit difficult. And how quickly he wanted it done was enough to push someone over the edge.

The Doctor pondered what to do next. The exposure therapy was working a bit but Neji was restraining himself, not meeting it head on.

Haphephobia wasn't like most fears. You couldn't just face it and get over, it took time. Because it had to do so much with other people, there were also issues with trust.

"Interesting." He mumbled to himself as he thought.

A knocking sound came as the door was opened. His assistant led Neji into the room. He looked over as he shut his folder.

"Welcome. You look much better today." He joked as the Hyuuga sat across from him. He motioned to his assistant. She returned with a glass of water and placed it in front of Neji.

The Hyuuga thanked her and waited for the Doctor to start.

"Well I believe we'll have to take it up a notch, and it'll be a bit more stressful on you." Neji listened and nodded. He'd already made up his mind that he'd do whatever was necessary.

"Anything if fine."

"Though I'm not sure I can go through with it. You're a very skilled shinobi and could snap me like a twig. I don't feel comfortable bringing in someone to assist me because you wish to keep your therapy quiet."

Neji's brow furrowed as he thought for a moment. He'd attacked Gai and Lee already, it was almost certain he would attack the Doctor on accident.

The Doctor thought and snapped his fingers, grabbing Neji's attention. "That Lee boy, you've told him all this, yes?"

"Lee? You want him to join us?" Neji asked. He didn't disagree, if anyone knew the way he'd attack it'd be Lee.

"Yes, that should work." The Doctor said more to himself. He called to his assistant.

#

The tan shinobi walked into the room a few minutes later. He moved to sit next to Neji, confused.

"Is something wrong?" He looked to Neji and back to the Doctor.

"Not at all, I just want you to help us a bit." The Doctor explained, soothing Lee's worry. "As we proceed, Neji will become cornered by his fear and might retaliate. I wish for you to be present for the safety of Neji and myself."

Lee nodded and shared a glance with Neji.

"Alright, Mr. Hyuuga if you would relax, please. We'll start with questions about your fear." The Doctor got out his notes and began preparing as Neji looked over at Lee again.

He was having second thoughts about Lee being present. He didn't want Lee to have to see him speaking about such dark subjects.

"You've told me you have night terrors, please go into detail. Leave nothing for me to interpret on my own." The Doctor asked, earning a confused look from Lee, he turned to Neji.

"Well…" Neji started slow giving small bits here and there, feeling Lee's eyes on him. He could see the hurt behind them as he went into the dreams. How everything felt so real and how frightened he would get. When he would wake he'd stare at himself in the mirror. How the touches never stopped, they tormented him into the morning.

The sounds he could hear inside his head, the smells that filled the room. And the burning of his arms, it had always been the worse.

Lee listened as he starred at the table top, trying to understand these horrors Neji had been going through.

Next they went into the fear itself. What happened when Neji felt the defense symptoms coming on.

Neji continued to explain how he could see the person change into the Leader of the rouge ninja and his bright yellow eyes would always appear. How when someone touched him, he'd find himself back at the rouge camp, seeing scene of his incident. He would black out and attack someone without realizing what was going on.

He explained how he'd figured this out from attacking Gai, Lee flinched at that. Gai had said Neji's hit him but his mentor hadn't explained why. Lee had always thought they'd been training and Neji got a lucky shot.

The Hyuuga kept his cool the whole time, seeing Lee made him feel calm whenever his arms began to itch with the slight discomfort.

He concluded with a kind of numbness he'd found himself in. How he'd fallen into a stake of nothingness and he couldn't feel or think about anything.

The Doctor nodded once last time and collected his thoughts. He intertwined his fingers and spoke slowly. "I believe I have a general idea."

"With you being as intelligent as you are, I was wary of using Genjutsu, but I believe it will help you in this kind of situation." The Doctor stood and walked around the table to kneel next to Neji.

"I'll put you in a state where you'll be unable to control your thoughts, it doesn't do much but it'll force you to face your fear. Lee and I will be here so there is nothing to fear. If you wish to not go through with it, please speak now."

Neji just turned on his knees and faced the Doctor, nodding as he closed his eyes. Lee's eyes shut a bit; he was still trying to understand all this. How could he have not seen the pain Neji had been in?

"Alright, I'll begin."

The Doctor formed a few hand signs and placed his index finger on the Hyuuga's headband covered fore head.

Neji sensed the foreign chakra in his head, mixing with his own as it meddled with his receptors. Suddenly his thoughts dulled and he couldn't focus on the chakra. His eyes opened and he blinked.

The Doctor stepped back ushering Lee to do the same.

"Neji, you might say some strange things you wouldn't usually, that's only because you won't be able to think before you say something." The Doctor explained as he waited for the Hyuuga.

Neji nodded and stared at his hands. He didn't feel much different.

"Nothing's happening." Neji spoke aloud.

"I told you it doesn't do much." The Doctor chuckled a bit and moved to pick up his notes. Lee stood a few feet away from Neji waiting, watching the Hyuuga.

"Now," The older man flipped through his notes and cleared his throat. "How were you captured by these men in the first place?"

Neji placed his hands on the desk and spoke without a moment's hesitation. "We were ambushed because I couldn't track them with my Byakugan; they wore special chakra proof clothing. I'd never even heard of it before."

Lee was a bit uneasy as he watched the two work.

"What happened after you were captured?" The Doctor asked.

Neji's fingers clenched the wood of the table, he felt so dull, his thoughts pouring out of his mouth before he could stop them. "They threatened me, gagged me, did disgusting and horrid things and I killed them."

The Hyuuga jumped and knocked the table over as he stood quickly. His hands shook as the scenes flashed in front of him. The blood, the screams and how he'd killed each and every one of them.

Lee watched Neji reaction to his own words. The Chunin hadn't known this at all; Gai had told him everything had been taken care off when his mentor found Neji. Why had he been left in the dark on so many things? How could he say he really loved the Jounin if he didn't know about anything of this? Lee blinked his own thoughts away and watched Neji, making sure he watched the Hyuuga for any signs of an attack.

"W-Why…? I don't understand…" Neji starred at his hands, The Doctor hummed as he wrote quickly.

"Interesting, sounds like you've repressed that memory. Strange…out of everything it's the revenge you refuse to acknowledge." He explained as Neji spoke again.

"But he deserved it, that bastard." Neji glared and clenched his fist. He could see the man in front of him. Broad shoulders, black cloth covering him from head to toe, his bright yellow eyes staring at the Hyuuga. Neji could feel the burning return as the ropes tied themselves around his wrists.

"Mr. Hyuuga, you need to confront what is frightening you." The Doctor spoke loudly as Neji's expression changed to one of fear. The Hyuuga ground his teeth as he felt anger replace the fear. Than sorrow and eventually a sick, wicked kind of pleasure knowing they were all dead.

The Hyuuga could feel the blood running over his hands as he starred at the man's corpse. Neji jumped back. He was _scaring himself_. How could all of this had happened, such brutality. Even if they had been horrible people, the pure slaughter he'd committed.

"S-Stop this! Make it stop!" Neji yelled trying to find the Doctor. The room had changed to the forest. Blood stained the trees, dead bodies littered the camp.

The Hyuuga glared, yelling into the darkness of the forest.

"Lee! Lee, where are you?!"

#

The Chunin couldn't control his breathing as the Hyuuga laid passed out on the floor. The Doctor had knocked him out. He sighed and continued writing as Lee stood up from where he'd fallen back on the floor.

Neji's speed had startled him. He brushed himself off as Neji's voice rang in his head. He'd never seen the Hyuuga show such raw emotion.

"Will he be alright?" Lee asked, going over to place one of the sitting cushions under the Hyuuga's head. Neji just looked as if he was napping.

"Yes, He'll be fine. I'm surprised he lasted as long as he did truthfully. That was a very extreme method I developed myself. It works but it's just very hard on the client. You really shouldn't force people to face things they aren't ready for." The Doctor drank the rest of his coffee, he was glad he'd moved it off the table; else it would've been spilled on his tatami mats.

"You are free to take him back to whatever hotel you are staying at, if you wish." The Doctor wore a strange bored look as he turned to Lee. He'd really hoped Neji would've been more fun, but his job was done for today.

"Wait, are you sure he'll be alright?" Lee asked as he hooked his arms under Neji, lifting him up bridal style.

"I'm a specialist in PTSD, A condition where the victim fears the past. I've perfected my methods to a point. Mr. Hyuuga wanted to be cured in week; I'm taking the most direct route. But I would never put a client in harm's way, at least not for the long run." The Doctor left the room to get another cup of coffee.

Lee furrowed his brow, not entirely convinced. He carefully carried Neji out of the room.

#

Neji lay, tired and resisting the urge to vomit. The man had replaced his pants but his wrist restraints remain. He sat up from the dirt, sweat and other liquid covered his body he breathed through his nose. Quietly listening, his lavender pupils contracted to a fraction of their size as he waited. The rustling of fabric was followed by two rouges walked into the tent.

His eyes darkened as they mocked him.

_These worthless maggots. How dare they._

They'd removed his blindfold, assuming his Byakugan would be useless. The Hyuuga watched as the two walked over, one using his shoe to lift the jounin's face. As they spoke Neji's trained eyes saw the flash of flesh around the man's ankle.

"Boss'll get mad." The other hissed, checking behind them, making sure they hadn't been followed.

"Lighten up, He can't even use chakra. Plus Boss said he was gonna kill him or sell him anyway." The one holding the Hyuuga head up reached behind himself and pulled out a kunai from his pack. He put his foot down and kneeled, face to face with the Hyuuga. Neji's glare could've cut glass.

"Come on now; let's put that pretty little mouth to good use." He cut the fabric gagging Neji and chuckled, looking back at his nervous friend.

Neji flashed and bit the man's hand, enough that he could hear the tendon rip. He watched the rouge release the kunai and fall backwards. He grabbed his hand and screamed. His friend panicked and ran out of the tent. Neji bit the grip of the kunai before it hit the ground.

He carefully rolled it over his shoulder and cut the ropes and fabric. All the while the man on the ground screamed and clutched his wounded hand.

"Pathetic." Neji stood after cutting his feet loose. He looked down at the rouge and slammed his foot into the other's chest. The man's visible eyes widened in fear. Neji spit the taste of the fabric and blood out off his mouth.

The man's screaming stopped. His friend was outside the tent, scared as he could see the silhouette of the blood splash against the tent's wall. He started to run but the sound of tearing made him look down. Neji'd cut the tent's wall and swung his hand out grabbing the man's bare ankle. The second rouge fell to the ground, shaking as the Byakugan starred at him, blood splattered across Neji's cheek.

Neji scoffed, they'd thought they were so safe from his gentle fist. They could were all the clothes and fabric made from that cursed chakra-proof material. But as long as he found one entry point they were as good as dead.

He sent a large surge of chakra straight to the man's heart, killing him instantly.

He stood and wiped the man's blood from his face, smearing it onto his hand. His dark gaze scanned the camp ground with Byakugan. There were nine left.

Neji made quick work of three before the other's found the dead bodies. Panic ripped through the camp. Neji being able to see the entire camp made it so when someone tried to sneak away he'd be able to kill them easily.

The Hyuuga walked up to the main tent. His once white pants were now covered in dirt and blood of the Leader's fallen men. The yellow eyes glared down at him. Neji spun the kunai around his finger as he moved closer to the man. He sat in a large chair at the end of a table. Papers and stolen things littering the table top. Neji used a chair as a step and walked across the table.

He stopped the kunai and grabbed the handle. Bringing it to his mouth and cleaning the blade of the blood with his tongue. He stopped in front of the man and squatted down, His crazed lavender eyes were a bland look in them as he brought the kunai to the man's eye.

"Konoha really has the finest, huh?" The man chuckled to himself.

Rage boiled in Neji's blood, this man who was nothing more than an animal. How many people had he killed? How many people had he raped the same way and ruined their lives?

His eyes changed, fury and revenge blending with the lavender. He stabbed the kunai into the man's neck and watched, teeth clenched, as the leader brought a hand to his neck. Neji pulled it across slowly, watching as the blood flowed and pooled on the ground. The man fell limp in the chair and his eyes dimmed.

Neji panted slightly as he stood on the table, kunai and forearm soaked in the worthless trash's blood.

He'd done it, he'd killed him.

He let a small smile slip and placed his cleaner hand on his face to hide the grin.

Footsteps knocked him back into reality. He still had a few left.

And he did, jumping around the camp as they tried to fight back; he just slit their throats or stabbed them in the gut, letting them slowly and painfully bleed out.

Neji found his top and bag sitting in one of the tents after he killed the eighth. He placed the top over his arms and carried the bag on his shoulder. As he left the tent he scanned the camp for the last one. He saw him not that far off; he must've slipped away when Neji was killing the leader.

Neji infused chakra in his legs and jumped into the trees, running along the branches. He caught up easily. The rouge was running, fear in his eyes as he looked around him, looking back every second.

Neji jumped down on to the man, knocking him down. Neji kneeled on his chest and placed the kunai at the man's neck.

"P-Please, don't kill me!" The rouge begged, arms and legs shaking as Neji pressed the kunai closer.

"Please, have mercy!" He yelled but Neji didn't waver.

He slit his throat and watched the man grab his neck with featureless, dead, lavender eyes. He had no reason to let the man live.

He stood and looked around slowly. His body relaxed a little as he scanned the area one last time. His rage and adrenaline disappearing.

_It's done._

He panted as he wiped the sweat from his brow. He was used to having his head band. He deactivated Byakugan and jumped through the brush, he'd seen a river of to the right. As he ran in the direction of it he heard the rustle of leaves from the trees above him.

He froze, eyes scanning the canopy as the birds flew away. He tightened his grip on the kunai and readied it in front of him.

He'd gotten all of them. Who was left?

A familiar voice called out to him as the flash of green jump down. The bright orange legging and green jumpsuit brought Neji back.

"Neji!"

He eyes softened as he realized what he'd done. He dropped the kunai as if it had lit on fire. He stared at his mentor.

"G-Gai-sensei…" He spoke quietly, hands shaking. His knees gave as he fell to the ground, snapping out his arms so his face didn't hit the dirt.

What had he done?

He'd killed all of them, even those that did nothing wrong. One even begged for mercy and he'd killed him in cold blood. That wasn't what a Konoha shinobi did. That wasn't what he was taught.

The images of what the ones that were guilty had done to him entered his head. He dug his finger into the dirt and cried out, pounding his fist into the ground.

How could he have been so weak?!

"Why?!"

"Neji." Gai knelt next to his former pupil and wore a look of sorrow and regret. Neji knew it hurt Gai when any of them got hurt, so he couldn't image what the older man was thinking.

He panted and sat back on his heels. He released the dirt from his hands and looked up at the rays of light breaking through the canopy.

_Oh, how this reminds me of the Sasuke retrieval mission._

He let a sad smile break his expression. He'd been defeated a completely different way this time.

He sat on the ground, soaked the blood of the innocent and guilty. Dirt and sweat covering his body. He couldn't even tell if he'd been hurt because his body went numb. His legs shook under him, they wouldn't respond to his brain.

"Gai-sensei, I'm afraid I can't walk right now…" He spoke in a dull tone, he head leaning forward as he wiped the dirt from his hands.

"That's alright, I'll carry you." Gai-sensei spoke in an understanding tone. As if he could understand what was going through Neji's head.

He lifted the Hyuuga on to his back and carried him, jumping into the trees and regrouping with Lee and Tenten.

Neji's fatigue caught up with him as he lay, face pressed against Gai's back. The strong Jounin continued to make his way east, back towards Konoha, not even stopping to greet the other two.

"When need to get Neji to a medic!" Gai yelled as the other's shared worried looks at the sight of their fallen team mate.

"Hurry!" He barked and they sped up. Neji opened one of his tired eyes to see Lee's face. The mixture of anger, guilt and sadness made Neji want to shake his head.

Lee always cared way too much. Neji closed his eyes and slept, wrists burning as they pressed against his sleeves.

**#**

**Hope you enjoyed this more violent chapter, love y'all! Reviews make me update quicker!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Author takes too long I know! If there are errors I apologize, I only went through it very quickly once.**

**Check bottom for info on LeeNeji ask blog!**

**#**

The Hyuuga woke slowly, not like he had with the other memories. He sat up, finding himself back in the hotel. He rubbed his hands over his face and blinked his eyes a few times.

He looked around the room; it was early in the morning by the look of the dark sky outside. Hearing a rustle of the sheets he turned down towards the foot of the bed. He could see Lee had pulled up a chair next to his bed and had fallen asleep while watching the Hyuuga. Neji smiled a bit as pushed his hair behind his ears.

The air was quiet and the Jounin took a slow breath. It felt as if the rushing water had turned into a gentle stream that push and pull ever so slightly. His worries felt like far off echoes, the truth of his incident blocked the horrible thought he'd been having, and kept them at bay. At least for now.

He activated his Byakugan and checked his body, most of his wounds very gone. His wrist felt normal, no stinging or burning.

He'd faced his fear and found out how it all ended. Neji starred at his hands in the dark room. He felt content with his answer. He no longer felt the pressing anxiety that rattled him every second of the day; it had dulled to a calm pressure on his shoulders. Not having to rethink the events over and over again, not worrying about the feather touches that were gone for now.

He knew that the rouge shinobi were dead and he had nothing to fear. He'd be better prepared next time. He was a Jounin, he learned from his mistakes.

Neji felt like laughing, he sat enjoying his lightly returned confidence and peace of mind. How he'd missed his cool and calm attitude. After everything that'd happened he'd made himself such a mess, from his nervous behavior all the way to what was happening between Lee and him.

Neji moved back to lean against the head board. It was almost over.

His hand slid across the blanket to find Lee's. He held it and rubbed his thumb along the thin paper cut like scars. Each one a different training session or new move the spandex loving shinobi had been trying to learn. It was if all his hard work was on display and nothing to be ashamed of. Neji felt a tug at his lips as his other hands brushed over his own scar. The circular spiral of skin, distorted from his near death battle which seemed like a life time ago. His fingers moved over the top of his shirt to feel the ripples of skin as he frowned just slightly.

The Chunin groaned as he woke up. He lifted his head and cracked his neck, it was sore from sleeping in such a strange position.

His black eyes turned to look over at Neji; the Hyuuga was sitting, other hand moved to his lap and a small, tired smile across his lips.

"Neji?" He rubbed his eyes and wrapped his scarred fingers around Neji's paler.

"Sorry, did I wake you?" He spoke quietly and closed his eyes. The rush of nostalgia was annoying in the fact it made the Hyuuga feel uncomfortable, his chest felling stiff and tight. But it was nice to think about something else for a change.

"No, it's alright. How're you feeling?" Lee asked, eyes sick with worry. The chunin sat up a bit straighter, waking up and moving his chair closer to the Hyuuga. Neji reopened his lavender eyes and Lee could see the old spark pride and calmness behind them.

"Much better, I'll have to thank the Doctor properly tomorrow." The Hyuuga rubbed his thumb against Lee's hand again. The Chunin was quiet for a moment before he spoke, voice growing in volume.

"Wait you mean…" Lee's face brightened up as a goofy grin spread across his face. "You're better, like you're cured?"

Neji waved his hand and let his smile drop, returning to his usual indifferent expression. "I'm not cured, Lee. But I believe a large improvement was made. I feel a bit more…content, I suppose."

Lee pounced on the Hyuuga, knocking his chair to the ground, laughing loud enough to wake those in the next rooms. Wrapping his arms around the Jounin's shoulders and pulled him close, the sudden contact startled Neji but didn't cause too bad of a reaction in his head.

"This is wonderful!" He pulled the Hyuuga into a tighter hug, Even though Neji was sure his bones would break from the pressure, he felt no fear, only annoyance at Lee for being so loud so late.

"Lee, volume." Neji hissed and the other released him. Lee just grinned and kept giggling like a school child as he sat between the Hyuuga's legs. He couldn't express enough how relieved he was that Neji was getting closer to his normal self.

"Really now." Neji fixed his hair, pride soaked into his words. He couldn't really blame Lee, he felt like yelling at the top of his lungs, but that wasn't what sane people did.

Neji sat up against the head board and put the pillow under his back as Lee calmed down and started to play with a piece of his long brunette hair. The Chunin's smile slowly fell into a line of uncertainty.

"So, did you remember everything?" Black orbs stared at the Hyuuga, worried and slanted in a sad way. Neji swallowed and looked away from Lee for a few moments, his hands intertwining in his lap. He didn't know if he wanted to tell Lee everything. He knew how possessive the Chunin could be and there was no doubt Lee would be hurt.

"Neji." He leaned forward, his hands gripping at the head board and trapping Neji between his arms. The Hyuuga took a deep breath and ran his tongue over his lips, trying to think of how much he should leave for the other to just fill in.

"Lee, you don't want to know about-"

"Yes I do." The Chunin got a more determined look that made Neji look away again. The intense look of adore mixed with distress in the onyx orbs made the Hyuuga feel his skin grow warm. The bowl haired male pressed his lips against Neji's cheek, his dry lips kissing the Jounin's soft skin of his upper cheek, the Hyuuga flinching away from the awkward affection.

"S-Sorry." Lee jerked back, worried that he'd triggered the Hyuuga. Neji just squirmed a little, repositioning himself and let his fingers brush over the tingle of Lee's lips left.

"No, it's fine. I'm just not used to it." He muttered softly, the room began to light up as the sun was starting to rise.

The two sat quietly before the Jounin finally worked up the nerve to start.

"A…After I was captured I was taken to their camp…" Lee sat leaning over the Hyuuga, his fingers gripping and relaxing on the head board as Neji began to explain the basics of what had happened, placing the scene and the disagreements between he and the rouges.

Neji's found himself having to track his breathing and steady his voice as he continued. His lavender eyes not able to stick to Lee's face for very long. The Hyuuga cleared his throat at one point, feeling it strangely clamping shut.

"I was pulling at the binds so roughly it rubbed my skin raw. Fighting back anyway I could, but now I look back and realize how silly I must have looked." Neji felt his chest grow constricted and made the mistake of glancing back at Lee's face. The onyx eyes to the brim with a deadly fire, his arms flexed and shaking as he was doing his best to control himself. Lee's face doing it's best not to show the typhoon of emotions happening under his skin. The Hyuuga felt his brow drop and Lee's anger was practically radiating off his skin. The Chunin took a few long shaky breaths, seeing the Jounin was staring at him.

"…I'm fine, continue." Lee's jaw was tight and Neji could see the flexing tendons in his neck. The Hyuuga couldn't help but feel the need to calm him down. He'd looked out for Lee all these years; it was a rare occurrence to the Chunin truly angry. If they were even going to start with the main part of the story Lee would have to be relaxed.

The long haired male brought his hands to Lee's face and rubbed his thumbs over his cheek bones. The Chunin move his stare to look down at the Hyuuga. His expression changing, looking like it'd melted off his face, he leaned forward and pressed their foreheads together. Lee's breathing was heavy as he moved his arms down, one to lean on the bed and the other to place over Neji's hand rubbing his face. Gripping at the Jounin's fingers gently he gulped and spoke softer, breaking eye contact as he nodded his head.

"I-I'm okay. It's alright, continue."

And then came the main event. They stayed like that for a few minutes, Neji's heart beating in his ears as Lee's breath tickled against his chin, he smelled like spicy food and trees. The Hyuuga closed his lavender eyes slowly and felt Lee nuzzle against his hand before pulling them to the long haired man's lap. The Hyuuga took a deep breath and opened his eyes and spoke, his voice sounded quieter and as if someone was clamping down on his throat.

"T-the first one had me pressed down against this table in the middle of the tent…and the next time I was…on the ground. A –And…" The Hyuuga cut himself off as the scene played in his head and his skin crawled in disgust. His lavender eyes were glossy with water as the Jounin clenched his hands around Lee's. Neji was trembling under the Chunin, Lee's face twisted in a guilty rage. His jaw flexed and he pressed his face into the side of Neji's hair. Squeezing the Hyuuga's hand back the Chunin stay silent.

His chest felt like it was being crushed under a bolder. Neji continued, speaking of the acts that he'd had to go under, Lee's heart was tearing with every word. The green-loving shinobi rubbed his thumb over Neji's hand to let him know he was still here. They were safe and together, and Lee would protect him and love him and never let anything bad happen again.

Rock Lee leaned back, his shoulders quivering in a mixture of bloody rage and sadness. His stared at the Jounin, Neji's eyes flickering between him and the wall. His voice trailed off and the Hyuuga took a shaking gulp, his skin looked clammy and lost of all color.

"I'm sorry. I'm sure this is hard to listen to-"

Lee 'shh'ed him and pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek. His nose bumping against Neji's as he tried to think of what he could possibly do to make this all better.

The Hyuuga finished with everything he could handle, he'd been proud of himself for keeping himself from falling apart throughout it. The touches of foreign hands were kept at bay by the Chunin's insane body heat; it was as if Lee was a furnace. The Hyuuga sat against the head board and watched as the other shinobi stood and his chest rose and fell in large movements.

The Jounin was about to ask what Lee was doing but before he could open his mouth Lee clamped his hands to the sides of the wooden dresser on the other side of the room. The Hyuuga flinched as it came up and down with a loud, vibrating rumble. The entire piece split into a pile of rubble and Lee stood in front of it panting like a dog in the sun.

Lee's knees gave out and he fell to the floor over the wooden mess. Neji held the sheet of the bed between his fingers as he sat quietly, his eyes watching over the Chunin's form shake. Lee gave a loud roar and brought his fist down into a large piece of the dresser.

They actually had one of the hotel attendants come up with a noise complaint, which Neji made Lee apologize for.

Neji walked around a little, his face feeling hot and his eyes burned. After Lee returned from the hall he moved to plop down on the Hyuuga's bed. Neji and Lee stared at each other for a moment as the excitement calmed down and the room grew silent again. The Jounin glanced between the floor and the bed. He gulped and slowly moved to sit Neji to Lee. The Chunin's brow went up slightly as the Hyuuga moved himself into the shinobi's side, the Hyuuga's hand resting over Lee's chest as his head lay on the man's shoulder.

The Chunin lied against the pillows and propped up slight with the Hyuuga maneuvering, laying his head against Lee's chest. Lee's arm rubbed over the Hyuuga's arm slowly and gave him a few soft squeezes.

Neji felt his self control seem to disappear. His throat locked up and his breath cut off sharply. It made Lee jump a little, the flushed expression of the Hyuuga made him sit up all the way and wrap his arms around the Hyuuga.

"No, No-I'm-" Neji tried to defend himself as his hands gripped at Lee's shoulders. His breath was unable to steady as he started to inhale in quick short bursts. Lee just hugged him tighter as the first tears rolled down Neji's face. He stayed mostly quietly. His sobs muffled or buried in the Chunin's chest.

He hadn't cried in front of anyone willingly in a very long time.

The Hyuuga moved his arms to grip around the other man's neck, hugging him back as his wet face pressed against Lee's neck. The Chunin was swallowing heavily and Neji could feel his tendons and pulse through the heated skin of his neck.

Lee held him close and placed small kisses against his hair as he cried, his broken and painful voice sounded so unlike Neji yet it was his voice making these sounds.

The Hyuuga calmed down after a few minutes, listening to Lee's heartbeat, he sighed with a shaky voice and wiped his eyes and face.

Lee lied down on the bed with Neji on top of him; the Hyuuga inhaled and cleared his throat. He starred down at Lee who was wearing a sad smile.

The Hyuuga intertwined their fingers and brought them close to his face. He pressed his cheek against Lee's warm hand. His sniffles filled the quiet room as he felt warm and the clamp on his chest had loosened. Neji stared down at Lee's face as the Chunin's smile grew a bit more genuine.

_If this is what love feels like, I think I can live with it._

"Thank you." He closed his eyes half way and smiled a little, his hands still shaking as he tightened his grip on Lee's hand.

"For what?" Lee asked lifting his head a bit so their faces where closer. Neji felt his breath brush against his lips. The Chunin placed his hand in Neji's against the bed.

"Everything and anything." There was a rare breathy laugh from the Hyuuga as Neji used his hand in Lee's to lift himself a little and move his lips against Lee's.

The Hyuuga broke the light kiss and exhaled pleased. Rock Lee kissed back and sucked on Neji's lips lightly. Neji's eyes closed as the two rolled over so Lee was leaning over the Jounin. The bed creaked and strained under their combined weight as the rays of light silhouetted the two shinobi. Lee continued their kissing and let one of his hands wander to the Hyuuga's waist. He wanted to touch Neji, to feel the hat of skin, show him he was loved and wanted. Lee's mind switched to an almost primal train of thought all he could think of was Neji, Neji's smell, his voice, his lips.

"C-Can I-?" Lee was only able to get the beginning of a sentence out before Neji stopped his voice.

Neji let his open hand cup the side of Lee's face and pull the Chunin closer, their kiss deepening. Lee needed no further encouragement. The Jounin felt the warm hand slip under his shirt and run over his stomach. He opened his eyes as Lee's broke the kiss again, Neji's breath in sharp inhales. The green-lover moved to his neck, sucked and kissed softly. His hand roaming the Hyuuga's chest, tracing every curve and indent.

Lee untangled their fingers and sat up a little so he could remove his shirt. Neji leaned up and ran his own hands over Lee's insane muscles. Lee laughed breathless as the Hyuuga tickled him with the light touches. Neji's sensitive and highly trained fingers moved over the male's skin. He'd seen Lee shirtless hundreds of times but having him so close and hot was over whelming. Lee smiled and grabbed the Jounin's face gently and kissed Neji again, knitting his scarred fingers in the Hyuuga's hair.

The Hyuuga slipped out of his blue navy shit between kisses; eventually both of them were twisted up in each other once again. Lee chuckled as he let his nose trace the middle of Neji's chest.

"You have no idea how happy I am. I love you so, so much." He deep tone against the Hyuuga collar bone made Neji shiver a bit. The Hyuuga felt Lee's waist brush against his crotch; Neji flinched at the welcomed friction.

"L-Lee." The Chunin perked up at that, blushing at the tone of Neji's voice. He coughed to hide the lump in his throat. Lee knew they wouldn't go all the way, at least not so soon, He didn't want to go anywhere that made Neji uncomfortable.

His lips moved over Neji's chest, sucking and kissing all over as he tried to hide his embarrassment. The gravity of the situation made Lee's spine tingle, they'd never gone further than kissing before. His other hand moved to brush over the jounin's flat breast and let his hands moved down Neji's side and waist.

Neji could feel Lee's hands teasing him slightly and it was getting him pretty worked up. He felt Lee's wet tongue travel down his midsection and along his navel. The green-lover's teeth nipped at Neji's hip bones.

Lee leaned up and wore a worried expression; The Hyuuga looked at him as if to ask him what was wrong.

"We're not going to fast are we? I don't wanna do anything you're not ready for." The Chunin rubbed the back of his neck, not only was he concerned for Neji, but the green-lover was getting nervous. What if he 'preformed' poorly and-

"If you back out now, I really am going to kill you." Neji hissed as he pulled the Chunin into a kiss, teeth hitting each other as they both moved back into their previous mood.

Lee's hands traveled over the Hyuuga's skin once more, the growing condition of each male was becoming more obvious as their bodies pressed against each other. The Chunin pressed his chest down against Neji's skin and his lips worked against the Hyuuga's as in a burst of confidence he rolled his hips forward against Neji's. The Hyuuga tense and shivered, his throat vibrating in a noise of engorgement.

Lee pulled back, his face flushed with embarrassment, Neji's was no different.

"I'm not gonna go all the way. But can I…"The Chunin's glanced down between their connected waists. The Jounin's cheeks grew darker in color.

This was actually happening.

"Y-Yeah, no, go ahead." The Hyuuga's voice did little to hide his nervousness. That relieved Lee a bit; the long haired male was just as flustered.

Lee gave a slight nod and moved his lips back to Neji's neck, kissing slow and in a continuous rhythm as he moved his hand down Neji's chest. His fingers running over the Hyuuga's Naval, the Hyuuga's muscles twitching under his touch.

The Chunin gulped and nipped under Neji's chin softly, earning a gentle flinch from the Hyuuga. Then he took a deep breath and moved his hand further down, Neji's neck tensed and his head pressed back against the pillows. Rock Lee kept swallowing thickly, his hand moving over Neji and every different movement he made got him another reaction from the Hyuuga.

Neji chest moved in shaken, gasping breaths.

Lee all but jumped off the bed when his palm moved down and Neji's hips jerked forward. The Chunin's face went red as the Hyuuga quickly looked away.

The Chunin cleared his throat and moved his hand away, positioning his arms next to Neji's head. The Hyuuga's hair was slightly frizzy at the top, random strands all over the pillows. Rock Lee looked down at the flustered Hyuuga, he'd never seen Neji like this, and it made his stomach feel so nervous he would throw up.

"Um…Do you want to, well…?" Lee tried to explain how he wanted to continue but all he did was look down and get very distracted by the Jounin's bent legs.

The Hyuuga's shoulders rose and he nodded. His emotional state was fine; Lee's touches had all but given him a heart attack. Neji's mind did its best not to focus on the feeling of Lee's bulge pressing against his thigh.

"M-…Maybe you could…" Neji's lust flustered mind let his usual formal tone of speaking disappear. His legs just gently brushed against Lee's waist, leaning up on his elbows as he looked away from the Chunin, hoping he could connect the dots from Neji's actions.

Lee ran a hand through his hair and cleared his throat again, he hadn't meant from this go so awkwardly.

Neji's legs made his lower stomach flex and his back shiver. Lee moved his hands down the Hyuuga's thighs slowly and the Jounin let out a surprised squeak, making Lee laughed under his breath.

Lee wasn't sure how to move with Neji very well but they started slow so the Hyuuga could move how he wanted. The Chunin hooked one hands under Neji's right leg and held it up just slightly. Their bodies pressed together tightly and Lee's back rolled in a fluid motion, their hips rubbing against each other as Lee's lips attached to the front of Neck's neck.

The Hyuuga trembled at the slow friction that grew in force and momentum. Neji soon found his head rocking back and forth against the pillows; his other leg wrapped itself against Lee's waist as they moved against each other. The excitement growing as the heat between them rose to make Neji feel like he was melting. Every time their zipper and buttons brushed against each other a metallic 'click' filled the room.

Lee's teeth moved over the Hyuuga's neck as Neji's neck bent back, pressing his head into the pillow and his shoulders off the blankets. Neji's back began to curl forward as his hips moved back against the Chunin's. Lee groaned into the Jounin's neck, the rush of excitement flooding his head and his moved faster, adding only a little bit more pressure between them.

As he sped up Neji's lips parted in a gasp, the Hyuuga did his best to hide the moan that rose quickly in his throat but failed. Lee replied with a happy growl against his neck, feeling the Jounin shiver at the vibrations.

The bed's creaking only seemed to make the Chunin speed up. The wood bending sound filled Neji's head as the head board began to tap against the wall behind them. The Hyuuga was lost in the pleasure, his neck turned and the side of his face pressed into the pillows. Neji's arms gripped at the other male's back, his nails raking up Lee's back causing the other shinobi to move faster. The creaking growing faster and almost urgent.

The excitement reached its peak and Lee couldn't hold himself any longer in a burst of movement Neji cried out, his back coiling off the bed and the muscles of his abdomen flexed and trembled.

The two slowed to a stop and the room filled with breathless panting.

Lee was the first to move, he pulled back, the scent of the both of them strong and made him blush through his flushed expression. The Hyuuga sat up on his elbows and moved his legs from the other's waist and looked up at the Chunin. For a moment they just looked at each other, the room's air feeling thick as they both tried to think of something to say.

Lee just ended up letting out a laugh and he moved his head forward, catching Neji's swollen lips in a loving kiss.

#

After the two cleaning up and changed into clean clothes, they'd gone to bed. The rush of everything had left both of them a bit awkward but everything seemed to be fine once they feel asleep pressed together.

The Hyuuga laid on his stomach, arms crossed and being used as a pillow. He opened his eyes and saw the tanner shinobi moving around the room, cleaning and getting rid of the rubble from his fit of anger.

"Good morning." He said as he closed his eyes, wanting to fall back asleep. Lee just grinned and kissed Neji head. Ruffling his hair a little, knowing the Hyuuga hated it.

"Breakfast ends at eleven." Neji swatted the Chunin's hand from his hair and groaned, grumpy now. He exhaled, enjoying his comfy bed. Rock Lee just let the Hyuuga be and went back to cleaning.

Neji sighed, knowing he needed to get up. Realizing his was still shirtless he threw on one of Lee's shirt, which hung low, being made for a man large than Neji. He made his way to the shower, groggy. They'd been up well past midnight. He decided against a shower, seeing as he'd have to go see the Doctor later. As he washed his face and brushed his teeth, Lee came up behind him and hugged him lightly.

Neji just stared at the mirror as he brushed. Lee nuzzled against his neck and smiled his typical goofy, wide toothy grin, enjoying seeing Neji in his shirt.

"You're morning after face is pretty cute, Neji." The Chunin laughed as the Hyuuga swung his arm out to hit the other man. Neji rinsed his mouth out before glaring at Lee and snapping tired.

"Men aren't cute, Lee." Neji returned to the mirror and fixed his hair. Lee just laughed and exited the bathroom.

The Hyuuga glanced at him and shook his head, letting a small smile tug at his lips.

He fixed his headband and was about to leave to change out of his dirty clothes when something grabbed his attention.

Or _somethings._

Neji blinked and pulled the top of Lee's shirt down a little revealing the large purple and red hickey on the base of his neck.

The Hyuuga's brow twitched and he removed the shirt. His old bruises were all a faded yellow, practically gone, but that was when his rage flared. His chest was cover in the bright red dots.

"Rock Lee!"

The Chunin flinched, hearing the familiar tone on an angry Hyuuga. Lee walked over to the bathroom slowly, peaking his head around the edge.

"Yes-" Neji's hand flew out, chakra flowing around his fingers. Lee jump back and noticed the hickeys that littering the Hyuuga's pale chest.

"Oh."

"Oh? Do you know how long it will take for these to go away?" Neji lunged out at the taijutsuist, Gentle Fist ready.

The Chunin rubbed his neck and held the other hand out in front of him, moving Neji's hands as they shot out to hit him. He moved backwards and he laughed awkwardly.

"I-I'm sorry N-Neji, won't happen again."

The green-lover grabbed Neji's wrists and changed his expression to a slight pouting one.

"But you're just as bad, Neji. I won't be able to have my weekly shirt-less sparing with Gai-Sensei."

The Hyuuga decided to ignore the last part of Lee's statement. He pulled his hands back and crossed his arms, not enjoying being accused of something.

"What're you talking about, Lee?"

The Chunin pulled his shirt over his head and turned around.

The Hyuuga's face heated all the way to his ears as he saw the other shinobi's back covered in scratch marks. Painful looking red raised marks that ran from the middle of Lee's spine to the edges of his shoulder blades. Neji turned away hiding his embarrassed face.

"I-I see, my apologies."

Lee chuckled and put his shirt back on. He moved closer, smiling and hugged the Hyuuga again.

"It's okay, I don't mind."

**#**

**SORRY IT TOOK SO FREAKING LONG. I've been in a writing stump for some reason. But they had smexy time so you can't be that mad at me, right? **

**Oh and Make sure to check out the LeeNeji askblog I've started on Tumblr! Lots of cute couple stuff and maybe smexyness if you guys ask for it. Link is on my profile. **

**Check it out!**


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